Steph Otto on 35 Years in Exercise Oncology

In this episode of The Successful EP, Lenny Hazelwood speaks with Steph Otto - a researcher and Clinical Exercise Oncologist with more than 35 years of experience advancing Exercise Oncology Medicine.

Steph’s work sits at the intersection of research and clinical application. She has dedicated her career to integrating evidence-based exercise interventions across the entire cancer care continuum - from prevention and prehabilitation to acute treatment, rehabilitation, and survivorship.

In this conversation, we explore:

• How exercise became integrated into modern cancer care
• The early caution and misconceptions around loading oncology patients
• The importance of translating research into practical clinical frameworks
• How healthcare systems (Germany vs Australia) shape implementation
• The evolving role of exercise physiologists in oncology

Steph’s expertise spans precision-based exercise screening prior to oncological surgery and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), inpatient and intensive care exercise oncology, quality management, integrative oncology, and mechanobiology — including fascia research and myofascial release.

Her doctoral research at the University of Ulm examined the effects of high-intensity resistance and endurance training on BRCA1 gene expression and protein biosynthesis in BRCA mutation carriers — highlighting the molecular interplay between exercise and cancer biology.

This episode moves beyond surface-level oncology rehab and into the future of personalized, mechanistically informed cancer care — where genomics, epigenomics, and exercise science converge.

If you’re an exercise physiologist working in — or considering — oncology, this conversation offers both depth and direction.

Guest:
Stephanie Otto

Steph invites listeners to join the Fascia Research Society.
Use the discount code FASCIA15 to receive 15% off membership.

Learn more:
https://fasciaresearchsociety.org

Explore our range of EP CPD courses:
https://epcpd.com/