EXERCISE SHOWN TO REDUCE OCCURENCE OF COLON CANCER

Just today on the debut of CANCER NATION RADIO I was emphasizing my belief that exercise is crucial in the fight to triumph over cancer. I am finding more and more research now to support that theory as well as that continuing to be involved in an exercise program can decrease your chances of the disease recurring.

The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute announced the results of a study that found that regular exercise could lower the risk of recurrence or death by up to 50% in people with early colon cancer.

 Jeffrey Meyerhardt, M.D., M.P.H., and his colleagues from the Institute, collected information on leisure time activity from stage III colon cancer patients 12-18 months after they underwent surgery. The researchers found that people who exercised the most had a reduced rate of recurrence and death for up to 3 years after treatment.

Benefits were seen in people who got at least 18 MET-hours (metabolic equivalent tasks) per week. This is the equivalent of jogging 2 to 3 hours per week, walking briskly for an hour per day 6 days a week, or playing tennis a few days a week.

Previously, it had been found that exercise lowered the risk of colon cancer; this study showed that individuals with the disease could also benefit from exercising.

The study was presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting.

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