A recent study on exercise and cancer recovery has sparked controversy over whether exercise can replace medication. However, experts say that’s not a fair choice.
The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, focused on colon cancer patients who had completed chemotherapy. Half received structured exercise programs, while the other half received health education materials alone. The results showed that the exercise group had significantly longer disease-free survival rates (90.3%) compared to the health education group (83.2%).
What’s striking is that knowledge alone wasn’t enough to boost activity levels. Structure, supervision, and social contact were crucial in helping patients make changes. This highlights the importance of coaching, encouragement, and support in building confidence.
The study confirms what experts already know: a healthy lifestyle can prevent disease, including cancer. However, it provides new insights into how to make that happen. Structured exercise is an effective investment for health, whether recovering from cancer or preventing cancer.
This doesn’t mean you need expensive gym sessions; affordable options like group classes in public spaces or local community centers can be just as beneficial. Not only will you improve your physical and mental wellbeing but also social connections. The real takeaway is that simply telling people to “move more” isn’t enough; structured support and education are needed.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jul/04/exercise-drugs-cancer-remission