Exercise may be as important as drugs in preventing cancer recurrence.
Absolutely! Emerging research continues to highlight that exercise is a powerful tool in cancer prevention, treatment, and survivorship—potentially rivaling the benefits of some medications in reducing recurrence risk.
Key Evidence on Exercise & Cancer Recurrence:
- Colon Cancer:
- A landmark study (JAMA Oncology, 2019) found that stage 3 colon cancer patients who engaged in regular moderate exercise (e.g., 30 min/day, 5 days/week) had a 40–50% lower risk of recurrence and death—similar to the protective effect of chemotherapy.
- Mechanisms: Exercise reduces inflammation, insulin resistance, and visceral fat (linked to cancer growth).
- Breast Cancer:
- The AMBER study showed that vigorous exercise (3–5 hrs/week) lowered recurrence risk by up to 40% in hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer.
- Exercise may reduce estrogen levels (fuel for some breast cancers).
- Prostate & Other Cancers:
- Regular physical activity is tied to slower progression in prostate cancer and improved outcomes in lung/ovarian cancers.
Why Exercise Works Like a “Drug”:
- Boosts Immunity: Enhances natural killer (NK) cell activity.
- Lowers Insulin & IGF-1: High levels are linked to tumor growth.
- Reduces Chronic Inflammation: A key driver of metastasis.
- Improves Treatment Tolerance: Helps patients complete chemo/radiation.
Caveats:
- Not a Replacement for Therapy: Exercise complements (but doesn’t replace) standard treatments.
- Personalization Matters: Survivors should tailor activity to their fitness level and treatment side effects (e.g., neuropathy, fatigue).
While drugs target cancer directly, exercise creates a hostile environment for tumors systemically. Oncologists increasingly view it as adjuvant therapy—so much so that some cancer centers now prescribe “exercise oncology” programs.
Reference:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8431973
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