How Dr. Jay Harness Is Bringing Exercise Into the Standard of Cancer Care

When we think about innovation in cancer care, we often think about new drugs, new devices, or cutting-edge technologies.But what if one of the most powerful interventions has been in front of us all along?In this episode of Healthcare Algorhythm, Dr. Will Strimel sits down with Dr. Jay Harness, a breast surgical oncologist with more than five decades of experience and a former president of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, to explore the rapidly growing field of exercise oncology.Despite more than 30 years of research — including over 3,000 clinical trials and tens of thousands of publications — exercise has yet to be fully integrated into standard cancer care.Dr. Harness shares how he discovered this body of evidence later in his career and why he has become a leading advocate for bringing structured exercise into oncology treatment pathways.The conversation explores both the science and the system challenges behind this shift.Topics include:The evidence behind exercise improving cancer outcomesA landmark clinical trial showing 37% improved survival and reduced recurrenceWhy moderate exercise (150 minutes per week) is often sufficientThe role of resistance training in maintaining strength and quality of lifeWhy adoption has lagged despite strong evidenceThe parallels between exercise oncology and cardiac rehabilitationThe importance of starting small — “some movement is better than no movement”Dr. Harness also discusses his platform CancerFitness.org, which aims to educate both clinicians and patients on how to safely integrate exercise into cancer care.This conversation highlights a powerful idea:Sometimes the most impactful innovations in healthcare are not new technologies — but new ways of applying what we already know.Key Topics CoveredExercise oncology and its clinical evidenceSurvival and recurrence benefits of structured exerciseBarriers to adoption in healthcare systemsComparison to cardiac rehabilitation modelsPatient engagement and behavior changeThe role of resistance training in aging populationsGuest BioDr. Jay Harness is a breast surgical oncologist with more than five decades of experience and a former president of the American Society of Breast Surgeons.Throughout his career, he has been a leader in advancing multidisciplinary cancer care. More recently, he has become a prominent advocate for exercise oncology, working to integrate structured exercise into standard cancer treatment and survivorship care.He is the founder of CancerFitness.org, an educational platform designed to bring awareness of exercise as a critical component of cancer care to both clinicians and patients.Guest LinksCancer Fitnesshttps://cancerfitness.org