Exercising Through Breast Cancer: How One Powerlifter Defied Chemotherapy with Strength Training
Summary
- Breast cancer patient LaShae Rolle worked with her Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center team to keep training during her treatment.
- The study is the first to assess the possibility of high-intensity weight training during breast cancer treatment.
- By the end of treatment, Rolle retained 93% of her squat strength and 87% of her bench press and deadlift strength.
Exercise is increasingly recognized as a powerful tool in cancer care. But what happens when the patient is not just active but an elite powerlifter?
As chronicled in a recent study by researchers at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, a 27-year-old woman with stage 2B estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer maintained high-intensity strength training throughout chemotherapy. Her journey challenges conventional exercise guidelines and offers new insights for clinicians and researchers alike in the July Lifestyle Medicine issue.
Diagnosed in early 2024, LaShae Rolle had no genetic predisposition to breast cancer. She was a competitive powerlifter who could squat 441 pounds, bench 292 pounds and deadlift 497pounds. For her, strength wasn’t just physical. It was personal. Preserving her performance became a cornerstone of her multidisciplinary cancer treatment plan.
“Strength training has been central to my identity as both an athlete and a rising lifestyle oncology researcher. During cancer, it became a way to stay connected to who I am and to feel in control of my body and mind,” said Rolle.
Training Through Treatment
Rolle’s treatment regimen included:
• Chemotherapy: Four cycles of Taxotere and Cyclophosphamide (May to July 2024)
• Surgery: Simple mastectomy
• Radiation: Scheduled post-chemo
The Sylvester research team designed a periodized strength training program to align with her chemo cycles. It included:
• High-intensity days: Scheduled before chemo infusions, focusing on squats, bench press and deadlifts.
• Moderate days: Mid-cycle sessions with accessory movements like rows and shoulder presses.
• Recovery days: Light mobility and therapy work post-infusion.
Each session was adjusted based on real-time symptom tracking and perceived exertion, creating a feedback loop that prioritized safety and performance.
“LaShae’s journey is a powerful reminder that survivorship is not just about recovery. It’s about reclaiming strength, identity and purpose,” said Rolle’s primary mentor, Tracy Crane, Ph.D., R.D.N., co-leader of the cancer research program and director of Lifestyle Medicine, Prevention and Digital Health at Sylvester and associate professor of medical oncology and public health at the Miller School of Medicine. “Her commitment to powerlifting exemplifies how movement can be a form of healing, empowerment and advocacy. Stories like hers are exactly why we continue to champion personalized, evidence-based approaches with lifestyle medicine. Having been through the experience, she has a different perspective and will be able to better design trials and studies.”
Rolle was apprehensive to train during treatment, but was encouraged by her physician, Carmen Calfa, M.D., Rolle’s breast cancer medical oncologist and medical co-director of the cancer survivorship and supportive care program at Sylvester, who recommended Sylvester’s Lifestyle Medicine program.
“I was cautious, especially right after chemo, when fatigue and side effects were tough. But modifying my sessions around chemotherapy cycles helped me keep training safely, and physically it gave me moments of normalcy even when everything else felt uncertain,” said Rolle.
Key Results: Strength in Numbers
By the end of treatment, Rolle retained 93% of her squat strength and 87% of her bench press and deadlift strength.
These numbers are rare for someone undergoing chemotherapy and demonstrate the feasibility of high-intensity training when carefully managed.
“I’m proud I kept going,” Rolle said. “Documenting everything on video and in a training diary kept me accountable and reminded me I was still strong. I am still in awe when I look back at videos of me lifting over 400 pounds in the midst of chemotherapy.”
A heat map of symptom severity revealed a critical training insight—timing matters. Exercising one day after infusion led to severe fatigue and nausea. Delaying workouts five to seven days, post-infusion, significantly reduced side effects like dizziness, diarrhea and loss of appetite.
Changing the Game for Elite Athletes
This study is the first to document elite-level strength training during active breast cancer treatment.
Previous studies have shown that moderate-intensity aerobic and resistance training can reduce fatigue, improve physical function and alleviate treatment-related symptoms in cancer patients. But this research has focused on general populations or survivors, post-treatment. High-intensity modalities like powerlifting remain ripe for exploration.
This case study is among the first to show that such benefits can extend into active treatment, especially when exercise is personalized and symptom-informed. It challenges the long-held belief that cancer patients should stick to low- or moderate-intensity exercise. Instead, the study reveals that, with individualized planning, even powerlifting can be safe and beneficial.
• Individualization is key: Tailor exercise to the patient’s baseline fitness and treatment schedule.
• Monitor symptoms: Use real-time symptom tracking and perceived exertion to guide intensity and recovery.
• Don’t underestimate the psychological impact: Maintaining athletic identity can be a powerful motivator and mental health anchor.
For Rolle, being a part of this case study confirmed how critical individualized, flexible programs are for survivors.
“I’m absolutely encouraged to keep lifting and to keep advocating for evidence-based exercise as part of cancer care,” she said.
What’s Next?
While this study focuses on elite athletes, its principles can inform broader exercise-oncology practices. Potential avenues for future research include:
• Adaptations for recreational exercisers and deconditioned patients
• Long-term outcomes of high-intensity training during treatment
• Development of inclusive, evidence-based exercise guidelines
Tags: breast cancer, cancer and exercise, Cancer Support Services, chemotherapy, Dr. Tracy Crane, lifestyle medicine, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center