San Carlos Hospital, awarded by the Spanish Olympic Committee after its collaboration with URJC

Javier Martínez Tubío

The Spanish Olympic Committee highlighted the importance of exercise as a cancer prevention tool at the second annual "We Can Prevent Cancer" conference. The event brought together healthcare professionals, athletes, and patient associations.

The collaboration between San Carlos Clinical Hospital And the URJC focuses on the work of CIDE and the GIAFES group, led by Alfonso Jiménez, director of the URJC's Center for Research in Sports Sciences. This center promotes programs in which exercise is part of cancer treatment. Among them, the Comprehensive Physical Exercise Program, developed in conjunction with the hospital's Breast Unit, stands out. GO fit LAB and the URJC, which offers face-to-face, online and personalized assessment options for patients at any stage of the disease.

Alfonso Jiménez emphasizes the value of exercise throughout the cancer process: “Our proposal addresses the entire cancer process: from 'prehabilitation', where exercise before surgery improves results and prepares the body, to support during treatment, reducing side effects such as loss of muscle mass, fatigue or functional deterioration.”

Once treatment is complete, exercise becomes a key tool for recovering functions affected by chemotherapy and for reducing the risk of cardiovascular complications. The professor adds: “We are observing clear clinical improvements, as well as a significant impact on quality of life, mood, and patients' perception of their health control.”

Alfonso Jiménez highlighted the action-research model and the partnership between URJC, the University Clinical Hospital, and the GO fit sports center. “This is an action-research project in which exercise is not an add-on, but a structural element of the treatment. From day one, patients have tailored physical activity options and choose the format in which they want to participate.”

This is a three-way initiative: the San Carlos Clinical Hospital, the AECC-URJC Chair for an Active and Healthy Life, and GO fit LAB, with predoctoral and postdoctoral staff. Alfonso Jiménez explains that the project's main function is to generate rigorous science and solid evidence demonstrating that exercise should be considered part of cancer treatment.

The professor points out the need for clinicians who understand the importance of exercise and universities that produce high-quality research for the project to function properly. He also emphasizes the value of the project and highlights the importance of training professionals to promote physical activity among patients. “Right now, we are focused on reaching more patients thanks to the project of the AECC-URJC Chair For an Active and Healthy Life. A fundamental part of this is the training of healthcare professionals. We want more and more professionals to be qualified to prescribe physical activity and, above all, for this to motivate more patients to stay active.”