Peter L. Lee, MD, PhD, has two distinct and interesting roles in radiation oncology at the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute: one as radiation oncologist specializing in GU cancers, and another as a leader tasked to develop the hospital’s Exercise Oncology Program –a rapidly growing specialty that focuses on the benefits of exercise for cancer management.

During Lee’s radiation oncology rotation in medical school, he saw the essential  function that physics, one of his college majors, played in utilizing radiation oncology technology for cancer diagnosis and treatment and “witnessed the exceptional efficacy radiation provides for many cancer patients.” Lee also saw the negative effects of cancer treatment such as fatigue and loss of bone density, and realized how cancer can change a person’s outlook on life.

A residency in Radiation Oncology was where he was headed. Fox Chase Cancer Center was a natural fit. Lee said, “It is one of the best clinical and academic learning centers in the US—known for exceptional radiation oncology physicians.” At Fox Chase Lee trained under leaders in the field including Eric Horwitz, MD, FABS, FASTRO, Chair, Department of Radiation Oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center and Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, and Stephanie E. Weiss, MD, FASTRO, Director, Radiation Oncology Residency and Fellowship Training Program.

During training, Lee learned more about the about the importance of exercise in cancer management. Right at the end of his training, the international CHALLENGE Trial was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, which examined the effects of a structured three-year exercise program for patients who had completed adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer. The study had a placebo arm and demonstrated significantly decreased recurrence and improved survival for these patients. The study was part of a nascent oncologic specialty called Exercise Oncology, and Lee wanted to explore further.

He approached Dr. Weiss and Dr. Horwitz with an unusual request: to embark on a month-long rotation, not in a sub-set of radiation oncology, but in the growing field of Exercise Oncology. Although the idea was unconventional, Lee’s Fox Chase mentors understood the importance of “stretch assignments” to move medical knowledge further, and they agreed.

After his Fox Chase residency, Lee left for a position at Mass General Brigham Hospital, where he is both a radiation oncologist specializing in genitourinary cancer, and also one of the leaders in developing a new Exercise Oncology program.

“What attracted me to radiation oncology was the unique opportunity it offers to develop long-standing relationships: A patient might undergo a seven-week course of therapy, and then remain in surveillance for the rest of their lives. Exercise Oncology may soon play an essential part in how well these patients fare during cancer treatment, and for years afterward.”