A recent international study has found that exercising regularly after treatment for colon cancer can significantly improve survival rates. Researchers divided 889 patients into two groups, one of which participated in a structured exercise program for three years. The results showed that the exercise group was 28% less likely to have a recurrence of colon cancer and had a 37% higher overall survival rate.
The study found that the exercise program, which allowed participants to choose their own moderate-intensity activity such as walking or pickleball, added two and a half hours of physical activity per week. The researchers concluded that exercise is no longer just a quality-of-life intervention for cancer patients but a treatment option that should be made available to all patients.
The study’s findings were supported by one participant, Terri Swain-Collins, who was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2021 and participated in the clinical trial. She credited her exercise program with helping her stay accountable and motivated, saying “Having someone walk alongside me, guide me and check in regularly was what truly made it possible.”
The researchers emphasized that implementing exercise as an anti-cancer tool could be cost-effective compared to many new cancer drugs, but also noted that the exercise group experienced more muscle strains or injuries. The study’s findings were published in The New England Journal of Medicine and funded by the Canadian Cancer Society.
Source: https://www.foxnews.com/health/exercise-program-reduces-common-cancer-recurrence-boosts-survival