Exercise Extends Disease-Free Survival for Patients with Cancer

Research has long suggested that regular exercise is beneficial for cancer survivors, but a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine is the first to demonstrate that exercise after cancer treatment can reduce recurrence and improve survival. Patients with colon cancer who participated in a structured exercise program in a randomized-controlled trial lived longer without cancer recurrence and had a lower risk of dying within the trial period compared with people in the control group. The study found that exercise not only improves physical function but also reduces the risk of developing recurrent or new cancers and lowers the risk of death.

Key Takeaways:

• The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, involved nearly 900 patients with stage III or high-risk stage II colon cancer who were randomized to a control group or a structured exercise group.
• Patients in the structured exercise group had significantly higher improvements in physical function, as measured by distance they could walk in six minutes and predicted VO2 max, both indicators of cardiovascular fitness.
• The two groups were followed for an average of about eight years, during which time 131 patients in the control group had recurrence of their cancer, compared with 93 in the structured exercise group.
• In the control group, 66 people died, compared with 41 in the structured exercise group.
• People in the structured exercise group had a 28% lower risk of developing recurrent or new cancers compared with those who followed standard-of-care protocols.
• Members of the exercise group also had a 37% lower risk of death in the trial period.
• Dr. Leana Wen, a CNN wellness expert and emergency physician, believes that the results of the study have the potential to substantially change cancer treatment protocols.
• Wen suggests that patients can be counseled to have an "exercise prescription," and healthcare providers can follow up to track their exercise activity.
• The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults participate in at least 150 minutes of moderate to high-intensity exercise per week.
• Small changes in physical activity, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking farther away, can add up and have a significant impact on overall health.

Statistics:

• 131 patients in the control group had recurrence of their cancer, compared with 93 in the structured exercise group.
• In the control group, 66 people died, compared with 41 in the structured exercise group.
• People in the structured exercise group had a 28% lower risk of developing recurrent or new cancers compared with those who followed standard-of-care protocols.
• Members of the exercise group had a 37% lower risk of death in the trial period.

Sources:

• New England Journal of Medicine: "Randomized Controlled Trial of Exercise in Patients with Colon Cancer"
• American Society of Clinical Oncology: "Colon Cancer"
• US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: "Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans"