Dr. Harvey Gilbert, MD

Medical and Policies Director
Harvey Gilbert, MD, is a radiation oncologist with over thirty-five years of professional experience...read more

Exercise Guidelines for Seniors & Cancer Patients: Part 2

Aerobic exercise is exercise that rhythmically uses the large muscles of the legs and arms to elevate the heart rate within a certain range. Some examples of aerobic activity include brisk walking, jogging, swimming, bicycling, gardening, dancing, playing actively with children, and sexual activity. Recommendations for Aerobic Programs...Read entire article »

Exercise Guidelines for Seniors and Cancer Patients: Part 1

The medical literature has documented causal relationships between the benefits of exercise in cancer prevention and treatment and quality of life issues. Although specific dosages for exercise programs have yet to be established, some guidelines based on research in nonclinical populations offer clues. For example, detrimental effects on the immune systems in athletes suggest that cancer patients would benefit from exercise at moderate levels rather than intense. For nonclinical populations, the National Institute of Health (NIH) recommends a program...Read entire article »

Is Exercise or Rest Better for Patients with Cancer or Chronic Illness?

Did you know that there is one thing you can do to reduce your stress levels, enhance your ability to perform the activities of daily living (ADLs), and potentially boost your immune system? Well, there is: it is called exercise. Exercise can increase your quality of life and enhance feelings of independence and self-confidence. There is no magic to it. You just need to do it! The medical community, fitness professionals and physically active people with chronic disease all...Read entire article »

The Effects of Exercise on Specific Cancers

Over the past thirty years, a growing number of evidence-based scientific papers have compared patients who exercise to sedentary patients. In general, those exercising thirty or more minutes per day at a moderate to vigorous rate of activity will have an increase in survival, decreased risk for cancer recurrence or a new cancer, improved quality of life with less fatigue, a decrease in obesity and being overweight, and positive treatment benefits for those undergoing cancer therapy. A recent study...Read entire article »

Do Vitamins Help or Hurt Cancer Patients?

What is the role of vitamin supplementation in treating cancer? The New York Times recently published an article about the popularity of vitamin consumption among cancer patients, quoting multiple scientific groups as saying that cancer patients should not consume megadoses of vitamins. If it hasn’t yet been proven that vitamin usage can prevent or aid in the treatment of cancer, why do most patients with breast cancer, especially the younger ones, use these supplements to “boost” their “immunity?” Very...Read entire article »