Innovative Approaches: Astronauts Inspire Cancer Treatment Methods
Written on
Chapter 1: A Connection Between Space and Health
Recent studies indicate that there are significant parallels between the challenges faced by astronauts during space missions and those encountered by cancer patients undergoing treatment. Medical professionals are now integrating NASA’s wellness protocols to aid recovery for patients on Earth.
This paragraph will result in an indented block of text, typically used for quoting other text.
Section 1.1: The Impact of Space Travel
Space exploration has not only expanded our understanding of the universe but has also led to critical advancements that benefit life on Earth, ranging from CAT scans and MRIs to memory foam and innovative osteoporosis treatments. Currently, researchers believe that cancer patients could derive benefits from the training regimens astronauts follow to maintain their health during treatment.
Space travel significantly impacts the human body. Astronauts on extended missions often experience muscle deterioration, weakened bones, and heightened risk of heart disease. These issues are strikingly similar to those faced by cancer patients due to the rigorous therapies they undergo.
While astronauts engage in sophisticated exercise routines to combat these health challenges, cancer patients frequently receive advice to rest during treatments like chemotherapy. Jessica Scott, an exercise physiology researcher at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, finds this approach somewhat counterintuitive.
Section 1.2: Exercise as a Key to Recovery
In an article published in the journal Cell, Scott and her team propose that cancer patients should adopt exercise routines similar to those of astronauts, even if it’s as simple as walking on a treadmill. This could help mitigate side effects and promote better health throughout their treatment journey.
Scott began to recognize these similarities during her tenure as a senior scientist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where she studied spaceflight’s effects on the body and found that they closely resemble the side effects experienced by cancer patients.
“Astronauts and cancer patients endure what we refer to as ‘multiple hits,’” she explains. These hits include pre-existing health issues (like hypertension), direct impacts from treatments (chemotherapy for cancer patients, reduced gravity and radiation for astronauts), and indirect consequences that arise when either group struggles with their daily activities, resulting in weight fluctuations or inactivity.
“When you consider these three factors together, all bodily systems are affected,” Scott adds. “Astronauts report changes in taste much like cancer patients do, and both groups can experience cognitive difficulties – astronauts refer to this as ‘space fog,’ while cancer patients often call it ‘chemo brain.’”
Chapter 2: Progress and Future Directions
The encouraging news for cancer patients is that advancements in treatment have led to significantly improved five-year survival rates since the rise of chemotherapy in the 1960s, which coincides with NASA’s remarkable progress. Currently, the United States is home to approximately 16 million cancer survivors, a number that is projected to grow. However, surviving cancer can bring its own set of health challenges. Cardiovascular disease has emerged as the leading cause of death among survivors.
“It’s a double-edged sword,” remarks Scott. “While we successfully treat cancer, patients often confront secondary health issues that they must manage.”
This is where the exercise routines followed by astronauts could play a crucial role, she believes. Preliminary studies have shown promising findings, and patients with existing health complications are frequently referred to structured exercise programs. However, this is not yet standard practice in oncology.
There is still much research required in this area. Scott is beginning to incorporate aspects of NASA’s program into clinical trials for cancer patients, employing the same assessments as astronauts and even providing treadmills to some patients' homes. They can connect with “mission control” (i.e., Sloan Kettering) via videoconference while exercising, similar to astronauts operating far from Earth. Although a universal approach to exercise for all patients has yet to be established, Scott asserts that now is the perfect time to explore how NASA’s methodologies could benefit more individuals on Earth.
This first video discusses how NASA astronauts engage with cancer patients to share insights on cancer research conducted aboard the International Space Station.
In the second video, an oncologist explains the reasoning behind sending cancer cells to space for research purposes, shedding light on innovative treatment possibilities.