# Kerry S. Courneya

Source: https://onco.cc/people/kerry-courneya/  
OnCo record `kerry-courneya` (Person). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Exercise scientist behind CHALLENGE, the first trial to show a structured exercise programme improves survival after colon cancer.

## Summary

Kerry Courneya (University of Alberta) co-led with Christopher Booth the CCTG CHALLENGE trial, which showed a three-year structured exercise programme after adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer improves disease-free and overall survival, the first randomised evidence that exercise changes cancer outcomes. He led the START and CARE trials of exercise during breast cancer chemotherapy and founded the field of exercise oncology.

## Fields

- Kind: Person
- Last checked: 2026-09-10
- Tags: exercise; survivorship; supportive-care
- Role: Professor and Canada Research Chair in Physical Activity and Cancer, University of Alberta
- Specialisms: Exercise oncology; Behavioural interventions; Survivorship; Randomised exercise trials

## Sources

- PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Courneya%20KS%5BAuthor%5D%20exercise%20cancer

## Connected records

- cancers: [Colorectal cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/colorectal/), [HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/breast-hr-positive/)
- technologies: [Exercise & lifestyle oncology](https://onco.cc/technologies/exercise-oncology/)
- institutions: [University of Alberta](https://onco.cc/institutions/university-of-alberta/)
- trials: [CHALLENGE (CCTG CO.21)](https://onco.cc/trials/challenge/)
- key papers: [CHALLENGE: a structured exercise programme after chemotherapy improves survival in colon cancer](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-challenge-exercise-nejm-2025/)
- roadmaps: [Recovery and rejuvenation roadmap: cure is not enough → survivorship gets a name → the cohorts that measured the cost → exercise proven as treatment → biological ageing measured and sold → repair, if anyone funds it](https://onco.cc/roadmaps/rejuvenation-roadmap/)

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