Physical Activity Linked to Improved Survival Rates in Cancer Survivors

Key Takeaways

Increased physical activity can reduce cancer risk.
Exercise enhances survival rates in colon cancer survivors.
Data from 2,875 patients was analyzed.
Higher MET hours correlate with improved survival.
Physical activity is crucial for long-term prognosis.

New York, Feb 24 (NationPress) Increased levels of physical activity may not only reduce the likelihood of developing cancers but also enhance survival rates for individuals who have completed treatment.

Researchers from Louisiana State University in the United States concentrated on long-term survival outcomes in survivors of colon cancer. Those diagnosed with colon cancer experience significantly higher rates of premature death compared to the general population.

To determine whether engaging in exercise could mitigate this issue, the research team evaluated data from two post-treatment studies involving patients with stage 3 colon cancer. A total of 2,875 participants self-reported their levels of physical activity following cancer surgery and chemotherapy.

For all subjects, physical activity was measured in metabolic equivalent (MET) hours per week. (Health guidelines suggest aiming for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly, equating to approximately 8 MET hours/week.)

The results, published in the esteemed journal CANCER, revealed that individuals alive three years post-treatment, who engaged in less than 3 MET-hours/week, had a subsequent three-year overall survival rate that was 17.1 percent lower than that of the corresponding general population.

Conversely, those who participated in more than 18 MET-hours/week experienced only a 3.5 percent lower subsequent three-year overall survival rate compared to the matched general population. Similarly, in the second trial, participants alive three years later, with less than 3 and more than 18 MET-hours/week, had subsequent three-year overall survival rates that were 10.8 percent and 4.4 percent lower than the matched general population, respectively.

The findings suggest that higher levels of physical activity could reduce and potentially eliminate survival disparities, according to the researchers. The study indicated that cancer survivors who were tumor-free by the third year and regularly exercised achieved even superior subsequent survival rates.

“This new information can assist colon cancer patients in understanding how factors within their control—namely, their physical activity levels—can significantly influence their long-term prognosis,” stated lead author Justin C. Brown, from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center and the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.