Exercise can help one stay fit, and live longer and happier, boosting overall well-being. However, a new study may have uncovered an even more powerful side of physical activity – an increased lifespan for colon cancer patients.
A new study published in Cancer, a journal of the American Cancer Society, suggests that staying active after a colon cancer diagnosis may help patients live longer – possibly even matching the lifespan of those without cancer. The study findings offer new hope to cancer patients whose survival rates remain lower than the general population, even though they have improved quite a bit in modern times.
Researchers tracked 3,000 colon cancer patients during their chemotherapy and post it for a period of six years and found that those who remained physically active not only live longer but found themselves at reduced risk of the cancer returning.
“Although many cancer patients now live longer after cancer than decades ago, survival rates after a cancer diagnosis still remain shorter than the general population,” said lead study author Dr. Justin Brown, associate professor and director of the Cancer Metabolism Program at Louisiana State University’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge.
“This study suggests that after a diagnosis of colon cancer, engaging in physical activity may help patients live longer, and for some patients, help them live as long, or even longer, as those in the general population without cancer,” he added.
While regular exercise is known to improve survival rates, the fact that it helps colon cancer patients match the lifespan of people who never had cancer was little known, said Dr. Keith Diaz, associate professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, who was not involved in the research.
Colon cancer has been on rise in young, according to the American Cancer Society. Lifestyle factors like unhealthy diet, inactive lifestyle, and obesity are among the causes of this sharp surge. According to a 2017 study published in the Journal of American Cancer Institute, millennials born between 1981 and 1996 are at twice the risk of colorectal cancer when compared to people born in 1950. Among younger adults, ages 20 to 49, colorectal cancer is estimated to become the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States by 2030.
How exercise can help improve lifespan in people with colon cancer
Nearly 3,000 patients with colon cancer were followed over six years and their physical activity levels were assessed during and after chemotherapy. It was then analyzed how long each person survived against their predicted lifespan based on their age, sex and year of diagnosis, said the researchers.
It was observed that people who exercised regularly lived longer. Apart from that a reduced risk of the cancer returning was also observed.
“The benefits of exercise after a colon cancer diagnosis are multi-faceted. Exercise improves heart health, mental health, and gut health, all of which play important roles in long-term survival,” Dr Diaz told CNN Health over email.
Researchers still are learning a lot about the exact mechanisms, but physical activity does seem to have a positive impact on both the environment cancers cells may try to grow in and the cells themselves, Diaz said.
The researcher added that exercise can reduce the inflammation and insulin levels that allow cancer cells to grow and spread. Physical activity also boosts the immune system, which makes it easier for the body to detect and eliminate the cancer cells.
Exercise helps control inflammation by reducing levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and boosting the production of anti-inflammatory substances in the body. Regular physical activity also improves immune function and enhances circulation, which helps clear out inflammatory markers. This anti-inflammatory effect can benefit conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and even some cancers.
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