How Can Exercise Affect My Cancer?

Research into the effects of regular exercise on cancer remission rates is still in its early stages.  However, there is growing preliminary evidence that exercise has a positive benefit.  Studies have been done on breast cancer patients encouraged to exercise to see what effect such exercise would have on their quality of life.  While not a direct study into the effects of exercise on cancer survival rates, it has already been established that patients with a higher quality of life do indeed have higher survival rates.  The patients were given instruction books on walking for exercise, and pedometers to measure the amount of walking they did.  The patients did indeed report better well-being and a higher quality of life over those who did not walk regularly.  Another study of 3,000 women did find that higher levels of physical activity resulted in a reduced risk of breast cancer recurrence, lower breast cancer-specific mortality, and longer overall life.  (Development and Evaluation of a Theory-Based Physical Activity Guidebook for Breast Cancer Survivors, Jeffrey K. Vallance, MA, Kerry S. Courneya, PhD Lorian M. Taylor, RD, MPH, Ronald C. Plotnikoff, PhD, John R. Mackey, MD)

 Regular exercise has been associated with a lower risk of colorectal, breast and lung cancers.  One study examined a group of men who burned 2,000 calories a week through brisk walking (about four hours a week), and showed they had a 35 percent lower cancer mortality rate.  This same study also showed that the risk of colon cancer, the second highest cancer-related cause of death in the U.S., was reduced dramatically by exercise. Burning 4,000 calories per week (about eight hours a week of brisk walking), resulted in a lower risk of prostate cancer compared to other inactive men. (The Roles of Exercise and Stress Management, The Cancer Project)

There are a few explanations put forward for why exercise would lower the risk of cancer.  One is that exercise increases gastrointestinal transit speed, so that more carcinogens from food can pass through the body before being absorbed by the intestinal wall.  A second is that exercise decreases the amount of estrogen circulating in the body, which would have a significant impact on diseases such as breast cancer and other cancers of the female reproductive system.  A third is that the body’s immune system is boosted by exercise, which boosts activity among the body’s own cancer-fighting cells.  This hypothesis is backed up by studies that show that those who regularly exercise get over colds and flus faster than those who do not regularly exercise.  Of course a fourth reason is that exercise increases your general sense of well being, increasing quality of life, lowering stress, and resulting in a body better able to handle cancer and its treatments.  (The Roles of Exercise and Stress Management, The Cancer Project)

Some of the key positive impacts of regular exercising on cancer patients are – enhanced ability to perform daily activities, reduced body fat, increase muscle strength, improved body’s ability to defend itself, improved mood, enhanced self-esteem, reduced nausea and decreased fatigue. While exercising has a direct and noticeable positive impact on the body, it also results in positive psychological changes. A healthy physical body often helps reduce or eliminate mood swings, results in better sleep patterns, and gives a more positive outlook on life in general.