By: Allison Currie
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, every three minutes someone in Canada hears the words “You have cancer.”
Dr. Melanie Keats is no stranger to these words having never known a day in her life when cancer wasn’t part of it. She lost her three-year-old brother to leukemia when she was a baby, and was diagnosed with cancer herself at age 12, and again at 17. In 2021 she was diagnosed once again, this time with ovarian cancer, which she has been living with ever since. Along the way, she has lost other family members to the disease, and her father was recently diagnosed.
Despite—and certainly because of—these experiences, Dr. Keats displays a clear desire to improve the lives of those living with cancer.
This commitment is reflected not only in her roles as an affiliate scientist with Nova Scotia Health, a professor at Dalhousie University's School of Health and Human Performance, and as a senior scientist at the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, but also as co-director of the Physical Activity and Cancer (PAC) Lab and through her research on how exercise can improve the well-being and quality of life of cancer patients. Through the PAC Lab, she leads efforts to develop evidence-based interventions that promote better health outcomes for those affected by cancer.
“This is my passion,” says Dr. Keats. “I have a very active 12-year-old daughter who plays competitive hockey and soccer. Staying strong allows me to keep up with her, whether we’re on the ice, kicking a soccer ball, or shooting hoops. I want others with cancer to experience the same benefits of exercise, improving their physical, mental and emotional well-being.”
The PAC Lab was launched in 2018 after Dr. Keats pitched the ACCESS Program at the Dragons’ Den competition, sponsored by the QEII Health Sciences Centre Foundation.
ACCESS, a 12-week exercise program, was designed to lessen the impact of a cancer diagnosis and its treatments. Based on similar successful initiatives in Alberta, the program is unique in that it doesn’t follow a randomized controlled study design. Instead, everyone who qualifies gets the same intervention. The success of the program was largely measured by two factors: will patients participate, and will it lead to positive results?
Surprised to win first place and $50,000, Dr. Keats used the funding to build a lab, hire a clinical exercise physiologist and expand beyond the ACCESS program, launching multiple studies exploring the effect of exercise on cancers such as ovarian, brain, pancreatic and bladder.
Co-directed by Dr. Keats and Dr. Scott Grandy, the lab has a small research team, includes several kinesiology students and collaborates with experts in various fields. At any given time, eight to ten studies may be underway, including the current Caring for Caregivers+ study, designed to explore the role of exercise in mitigating oncology clinician burnout.
Nurses, oncologists, and other cancer care professionals play a vital role in referring patients to the PAC Lab. Exercise programs are tailored based on each patient's cancer journey: whether newly diagnosed, undergoing treatment, or in recovery. A color-coded system (red, yellow, green) guides patients on the intensity of exercise they can handle each day, with the emphasis that red never means complete rest. Movement is encouraged, even on difficult days.
While not every patient is eligible for every study at the lab, most can participate in either ACCESS or Excel, a 12-week exercise program that helps reduce treatment-related side effects, depression, and improves quality of life and daily function. ACCESS serves those within the Halifax Regional Municipality while EXCEL is a pan-Canadian study developed to reach those in rural regions and underserved communities.
Patients and those living with cancer not referred by their healthcare team, can self-refer to discuss their needs, goals and interests, and determine the best fit for them.
Currently, over 1000 people have participated in exercise studies.
Dr. Ashley Hilchie, senior director of research at Nova Scotia Health, is pleased to hear of the program’s success at engaging participants.
“Participation in research by Nova Scotians is crucial,” says Dr. Hilchie. “It drives innovation, improves policies, and helps to improve patient outcomes. By contributing, individuals help advance knowledge and solve real-world problems.”
Dr. Keats and her team are on a mission to revolutionize cancer care by making exercise a part of standard oncology care and optimize the use of exercise in cancer management and recovery. As researchers across the province continue to push the boundaries of innovative care, the work being done at the PAC Lab exemplifies the dedication and collaboration that offer hope and tangible solutions for improved care for all Nova Scotians.
If you would like to support the work being done at the PAC Lab, click here.
Research is care. Clinical studies translate research into potentially life-changing therapies that can help you, your loved ones, and your community. To learn more about how to get involved, visit Nova Studies Connect.
