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LMU Medical Center and MTV Munich Launch Joint Exercise Therapy Program for Cancer Patients
12 Mar 2026
The Effektiv Study examines how weekly group training affects physical performance, quality of life, and nutritional status
Exercise can reduce the side effects of cancer treatment and improve the prognosis—as an increasing number of scientific studies show. To this end, Medical Clinic III (Hematology and Oncology) at LMU Medical Center and MTV München von 1879 e.V. are launching a collaboration: The Effektiv study, which integrates exercise therapy as a core component of cancer treatment and provides scientific monitoring, recently began.
Every year, approximately 500,000 people in Germany are diagnosed with cancer. Cancer treatment is often accompanied by side effects such as fatigue, nerve damage, or sleep disorders. Studies show that structured exercise can alleviate these side effects and that physical activity can improve prognosis. This is where the Effektiv study comes in: “The goal is to determine how weekly group exercise affects physical performance, quality of life, and nutritional status,” says Prof. Sebastian Theurich, senior physician at the Medical Clinic and Polyclinic III and director of the Effektiv study.
Weekly training at MTV
The first course began at the end of 2025: Once a week, cancer patients from Medical Clinic III exercise at the sports center of MTV München von 1879 e.V. on Häberlstraße. With over 8,000 members, this is one of Bavaria’s largest recreational sports clubs. Qualified trainers lead the program. The content is based on what is known as oncological training and exercise therapy (OTT). The training program combines strength and endurance training with coordination and relaxation exercises.
A team from LMU Medical Center provides scientific support for the training
Over the course of twelve months, Prof. Sebastian Theurich, resident physician Dr. Anouk Erb, and oncology exercise therapist Christine Linner will provide scientific oversight of the training program. At the start, participants undergo a comprehensive initial sports medicine evaluation.
The study team collects various laboratory test results and data at three additional time points, including information on physical performance, quality of life, and nutrition. A specialized needs assessment (RoBa Score) helps track individual progress. This allows the training program to be continuously adapted to the participant’s health status.
Additional services for cancer patients are planned
“We often talk about how sports bring people together,” says Sebastian Gallus, club manager of MTV München von 1879 e.V.. “But this partnership with LMU Medical Center has shown us once again what that can truly mean: Every Tuesday, people who are currently battling cancer train with us. Not alone, but as part of a group. Not just anyhow, but with scientific support from Prof. Theurich’s EFFEKTIV study. For us, that is recreational sports in its strongest form.”
Stadtsparkasse München, the Aurel Steinert Foundation, and FC Bayern Hilfe e.V. are providing financial support for the project. In the future, the two partners hope to develop additional projects to improve and expand the range of exercise options available to cancer patients. Since early 2025, the Interdisciplinary Center for Sports Medicine at LMU Medical Center and MTV Munich have been collaborating to promote heart health and athletic performance.
FAQ: Exercise therapy for cancer
What is Oncology Training and Exercise Therapy (OTT)?
Oncology Training and Exercise Therapy (OTT) is a structured exercise programme for people with cancer. It is based on current guidelines, combines findings from sports science with clinical experience, and systematically integrates exercise into the oncological treatment plan. The aim is to actively mitigate the effects of the disease and its treatment.
The programme combines:
How does structured exercise therapy help with cancer?
Quality-assured exercise therapy [1] improves cardiovascular fitness, strengthens muscles and has a positive effect on metabolic processes and body composition. Furthermore, it has a beneficial effect on immunological and hormonal parameters. [2] This improves tolerance of the treatment and reduces the risk of complications. Physical side effects, particularly during intensive treatments, are also significantly reduced. Above all, however, regular physical activity makes a decisive contribution to quality of life.
Which side effects of cancer treatment can structured exercise therapy help with?
A common side effect of cancer and cancer treatments is so-called fatigue, a persistent loss of energy and muscle strength. Exercise therapy can specifically counteract this through a combination of strength and endurance training. [3] Classic treatment-related side effects, such as polyneuropathy (nerve damage), cardiotoxicity (strain on the heart), pain, nausea and sleep disorders, can also be reduced. [1] Furthermore, physical activity has a positive effect on depression and anxiety. [4] An increasing number of scientific studies show that not only can the side effects of the disease and treatment be positively influenced, but that there is also a positive correlation between regular physical activity and lower mortality rates, as well as a reduced risk of relapse. [5,6, 7,8]
What should be taken into account when undertaking exercise therapy for cancer?
Exercise must be planned on an individual basis and regularly adapted. The type and stage of the disease, any underlying conditions, current phases of treatment and personal experience with sport play a decisive role in this. It is therefore difficult to provide a one-size-fits-all training recommendation. Instead, the focus is on a personalised programme that takes into account endurance and strength as well as coordination, balance, flexibility and relaxation.
What does the Effektiv study examine?
Over a period of twelve months, the Effektiv study analyses how weekly, structured group training affects the physical performance, quality of life and nutritional status of cancer patients.The study will focus in particular on:
Quellen
[1] Campbell KL, Winters-Stone KM, Wiskemann J et al. Exercise Guidelines for Cancer Survivors: Consensus Statement from International Multidisciplinary Roundtable. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2019; 51: 2375–2390
[2] Hojman P, Gehl J, Christensen JF et al. Molecular Mechanisms Linking Exercise to Cancer Prevention and Treatment. Cell Metab 2018; 27: 10–21. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2017.09.015
[3] Belloni S, Arrigoni C, Caruso R. Effects from physical exercise on reduced cancer-related fatigue: a systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analysis. Acta Oncol 2021; 60:1678–1687. doi:10.1080/0284186X.2021.1962543
[4] Singh B, Spence R, Steele ML et al. Exercise for Individuals With Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Adverse Events, Feasibility, and Effectiveness. Semin Oncol Nurs 2020; 36: 151076
[5] Scott JM, Nilsen TS, Gupta D et al. Exercise Therapy and Cardiovascular Toxicity in Cancer. Circulation 2018; 137: 1176–1191. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.024671
[6] Zimmer P, Baumann FT, Oberste M et al. Effects of Exercise Interventions and Physical Activity Behavior on Cancer Related Cognitive Impairments: A Systematic Review. Biomed Res Int 2016; 2016: 1820954. doi:10.1155/2016/1820954
[7] Cormie P, Zopf EM, Zhang X et al. The Impact of Exercise on Cancer Mortality, Recurrence, and Treatment-Related Adverse Effects. Epidemiol Rev 2017; 39: 71–92. doi:10.1093/epirev/mxx007
[8] Courneya, Kerry S et al. “Structured Exercise after Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Colon Cancer.” The New England journal of medicine vol. 393,1 (2025): 13-25. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2502760