"Exercise to Prevent Cancer Recurrence" More Effective Than Medication

Reduces Cancer Recurrence by 28% and Mortality Risk by 37%

Exercise has been found to be more effective than medication in reducing the risk of recurrence and death in cancer patients.

Participants in a marathon race are running vigorously. Photo by Jinhyung Kang

According to the British daily The Guardian on June 1 (local time), a large-scale study involving 889 colon cancer patients from six countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, found that exercise reduced the risk of death by 37% and the risk of cancer recurrence by 28%.

The researchers randomly divided the patients who participated in the study into two groups. Half participated in a structured exercise program, while the other half were only provided with a booklet explaining healthy lifestyle habits. Most of the participants were stage 3 colon cancer patients who had undergone standard surgery and chemotherapy.

Patients in the exercise group exercised under the guidance of a trainer twice a month, and then, for a total of three years, continued to receive guidance from a trainer once a month. This group was instructed to walk three to four times a week, for 45 to 65 minutes per session. Some participants substituted walking with activities such as kayaking or skiing.

After five years, there was a significant difference in outcomes between the two groups. The exercise group had a 28% lower risk of colon cancer recurrence or the development of a new cancer compared to the group that only received the booklet. After eight years, the risk of death in the exercise group was 37% lower than in the booklet-only group.

Christopher Booth, the lead author of the study and a doctor at Queen's University in Kingston, Canada, stated, "About 30% of high-risk stage 2 and stage 3 colon cancer patients experience cancer recurrence after surgery and chemotherapy." He added, "This study provides us with a clear answer." He emphasized, "An exercise program, including a personal trainer, can help reduce the risk of recurrent or new cancers, improve mood, and increase lifespan."

This paper was presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the world's largest cancer society, and was also published in the international journal The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

Julie Gralow, Chief Medical Officer of ASCO, also commented on the impact of exercise on cancer patient outcomes, saying, "It is better than medicine." She noted, "Drugs are approved with a smaller effect than exercise, but they are expensive and toxic." She added, "Although this study was conducted only on colon cancer patients, there is no reason why its results should not apply to other cancers."