Exercise equivalent in significance to medication for warding off colon cancer recurrence
In the alarming realm of global health statistics, colorectal cancer ranks as the third most prevalent cancer worldwide, accounting for a staggering 10% of all cancer cases. But here's some compelling news: a recent Canadian-led study suggests that a structured exercise program could potentially surpass drug treatments in the prevention of colon cancer recurrence.
This intriguing study, published in the prestigious The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), demonstrated that a structured exercise regime, following post-surgery and chemotherapy for colon cancer, significantly reduced patients' chances of cancer recurrence by a whopping 28%. To add to the good news, the structured exercise program was also discovered to reduce the risk of death from any cause by an impressive 37%.
This tantalizing finding has sparked a wave of excitement among experts, with some going as far as to claim that exercise could well outperform the efficacy of conventional drugs in preventing recurrence.
Speaking to the Science Media Centre, David Sebag-Montefiore, a noted oncologist from the University of Leeds, commented that:
"The benefits of a structured moderate intensity exercise program are twofold: it offers improved survival rates for future colon cancer patients, while avoiding the unwelcome side effects associated with other treatments."
Structured Exercise versus Health Advice: A Battleground for Cancer Prevention
The research team recruited a substantial cohort of 889 participants primarily from Canada, Australia, and the United States, with some participants from the U.K. and France. All participants were aged between 19 and 84, with a median age of 61. Most participants were overweight or obese, and none reported engaging in sustained exercise prior to the trial.
Researchers randomly assigned participants to one of two groups: an exercise group and a health-education group. The exercise group consisted of 445 participants, who collaborated with certified physical activity consultants for a period of three years. During the initial six months, consultants visited participants every week, followed by biweekly consultations for the subsequent six months, and monthly consultations for the following two years.
The exercise group was free to select their preferred mode of aerobic exercise, aiming to achieve the equivalent of 3-4 brisk 45-60 minute walks per week. In contrast, the health-education group (444 participants) received materials promoting general health educational content related to physical activity and nutrition, along with routine monitoring.
Exercise and Cancer Recurrence: A Love Story Unfolds
After a median follow-up of 7.9 years, 93 people in the exercise group and 131 in the health-education group had experienced cancer recurrence, a new primary cancer, or had died. A total of 107 participants had died from any cause, with 41 in the exercise group, and 66 in the health-education group.
While participants in the exercise group did not experience weight loss, they did exhibit significantly better physical functioning, as well as longer disease-free survival. The annual incidence of recurrence, new primary cancer, or death in the exercise group was 3.7%, compared to 5.4% in the health-education group.
Lead author Kerry S. Courneya, PhD, from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, expressed her excitement over the study's key findings:
"The most significant finding of our study was the overall improvement in survival. Exercise has the potential to drastically change the outlook for future colon cancer patients."
Could Exercise Be a Game-Changer in Cancer Prevention?
Julie Gralow, MD, the Chief Medical Officer of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), who was not involved in the trial, suggested that the findings hint at exercise potentially being "better than a drug" when it comes to improving cancer patient outcomes. However, she cautioned against dismissing conventional drug treatments:
"I did not mean to advocate for excluding drugs from treatment regimens in favor of exercise. Instead, I intended to compare the magnitude of benefits for reducing cancer recurrences and deaths between exercise and standard treatments, while taking toxicity into account."
Gralow further clarified that the benefits of exercise in colon cancer patients were not limited to specific mutations, which sets it apart from certain drug treatments.
A Prescription for Exercise: Side Effects That Heal
The 'side effects' of exercise, according to Courneya, are predominantly positive, encompassing enhanced fitness, reduced fatigue, lower instances of depression, and lower cardiovascular disease risks. The cost of the structured exercise program was also far more manageable compared to that of medication:
"The intervention was estimated to cost between 3,000 and 5,000 Canadian dollars, whereas some cancer drugs can easily surpass tens of thousands, and in some cases, even reach six figures."
The Power of Support: Empowering Patients to Exercise
Vicky Coyle, a U.K. lead researcher for the trial and Clinical Professor at Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, underlined the crucial role of support for patients to engage in regular exercise:
"Our study provides convincing evidence that physical activity can reduce the risk of cancer recurrence for some colon cancer patients. We must now collaborate with policymakers and healthcare providers to incorporate exercise into treatment plans, when suitable."
Joe Henson, an Associate Professor in Lifestyle Medicine at the University of Leicester, who led exercise sessions in Leicester, U.K. for the trial, echoed Coyle's sentiments:
"Despite the numerous proven benefits of exercise, patients still frequently encounter barriers to consistent exercise. This research demonstrates the importance of making exercise advice a routine part of cancer care, and offering tailored support to patients."
Gralow emphasized the significance of exercise as a vital aspect of her own patients' care, but acknowledged that implementing the structured exercise programs seen in this study could prove challenging:
"I have my doubts about the feasibility of most clinics having sufficient staff to accommodate the number of visits required. Furthermore, it remains to be seen whether all, or even the majority, of patients will be open to coming in with such frequency."
"Ultimately," she said, "we need to identify alternative, user-friendly methods to support patients in incorporating exercise into their daily routines, while ensuring regular guidance and encouragement are provided. And as healthcare providers, it is our responsibility to advocate for this."
- In the realm of global health statistics, colorectal cancer, a form of cancer that accounts for 10% of all cancer cases, ranks as the third most prevalent cancer worldwide.
- A recent Canadian-led study, published in 'The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM)', suggests that a structured exercise program could potentially outperform drug treatments in the prevention of colon cancer recurrence.
- Oncologist, David Sebag-Montefiore from the University of Leeds, commented that a structured moderate intensity exercise program offers improved survival rates for future colon cancer patients while avoiding the unwelcome side effects associated with other treatments.
- The research team recruited a substantial cohort of participants primarily from Canada, Australia, and the United States, with some participants from the U.K. and France, and demonstrated that a structured exercise regime significantly reduced patients' chances of cancer recurrence by 28%.
- The American Society of Clinical Oncology's (ASCO) Chief Medical Officer, Julie Gralow, suggested that the findings hint at exercise potentially being "better than a drug" when it comes to improving cancer patient outcomes.
- Support from healthcare providers and policymakers, along with user-friendly methods for incorporating exercises into daily routines, is critical to ensure regular guidance and encouragement, addressing the feasibility concerns raised by Gralow.
