A groundbreaking international trial has revealed that an exercise program for colon cancer patients can significantly reduce the risk of death. According to the study, patients who participated in a tailored exercise regimen had a 37% lower risk of death and a 28% reduced risk of cancer recurrence compared to those who received standard health advice.
The trial involved 889 colon cancer patients who were randomly assigned to either an exercise program or a control group that received general health advice. The exercise program, which lasted for three years, aimed to get patients doing at least double the recommended amount of physical activity for the general population. This could be achieved through various activities such as brisk walking, swimming, or dancing.
Patients in the exercise group received regular coaching sessions, which were more frequent in the initial six months and tapered off to monthly sessions thereafter. The results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that 80% of patients in the exercise group remained cancer-free after five years, compared to 74% in the control group.
Prof. Vicky Coyle from Queen’s University Belfast, a researcher on the trial, emphasized that the exercise program was not overly demanding and that any type of physical activity could be beneficial. “It’s a bit of a mind-shift, thinking of treatment as something you do, not just something you take,” she said.
The exact mechanisms behind the beneficial effects of exercise on colon cancer are not yet fully understood, but researchers speculate that it may be related to the impact on growth hormones, inflammation levels, and immune system function.
Dr. Joe Henson from the University of Leicester praised the findings, noting that exercise had a positive impact on patients’ fatigue levels, mood, and physical strength. “We know that physical activity regulates several key biological processes that could explain these results, and further research will help us uncover why exercise is having such a positive impact,” he added.
The results of this trial have the potential to transform the way colon cancer is treated, and researchers are already exploring whether similar exercise programs could benefit patients with other diseases, such as breast cancer. However, implementing such programs will require sufficient funding and staffing, according to Caroline Geraghty from Cancer Research UK.
Source: BBC
