People often wonder what they can do to lower their risk of cancer. We know that some major changes, such as quitting smoking, can have a significant effect. But what about smaller everyday choices?
Here’s some good news: A new study reports that among people who are not regular exercisers, a few minutes per day of vigorous physical activity may lower the risk of any cancer by 18%, and lower the risk of certain types of cancer by 30%. These can be simple changes such as taking a few flights of stairs instead of the elevator, or boosting your effort when walking up a hill.
How did the study work?
More than 22,000 people in the UK were included in this “observational” study, meaning that participants lived their normal lives while researchers collected data on their activity habits and many other health factors. Subjects had no diagnosis of cancer at the beginning of the study, and reported that they were “non-exercisers,” getting no leisure-time exercise and taking 1 or fewer walks per week.
They were given wearable activity trackers to record their activity during daily life. For each person, researchers computed the total duration of intense physical activity each day, such as fast walking or stair climbing.
Researchers followed participants for an average of approximately 7 years to determine whether they were diagnosed with any type of cancer. Researchers also separately looked at diagnosis of 13 cancers that are already known to be influenced by exercise in general, including breast, colon, bladder, head and neck, and melanoma. (Of note, prostate cancer was not included in this separate analysis).
What did the study find?
Doing just a few minutes (three and a half) of vigorous physical activity per day was linked to an 18% lower risk of any cancer. And the benefit of intense activity was even greater for certain cancers: Four-and-a-half minutes per day was linked to a 30% lower risk of the 13 exercise-related cancers. More activity was better: there was a dose-response relationship such that increasing total duration of vigorous activity per day further lowered the risk of cancer diagnosis.
This study could not prove cause-and-effect, but the results are aligned with other evidence supporting a relationship between vigorous activity and lower risk of cancer. In the analysis, the researchers attempted to account for factors such as age, other medical problems (based on medication use), parental history of cancer, smoking, and diet.
What this means for patients
More evidence is needed, but these results suggest that incorporating small amounts of intense activity into everyday life may be one part of a cancer prevention strategy for people who can’t (or don’t want to) engage in structured exercise. If that’s you….take heart, you may be gaining some benefit from choosing the stairs or walking quickly to catch the bus.
And for those who ARE able to, we know that exercising longer, and/or more frequently, is a boon to health. This can range from lower risk of prostate cancer recurrence or death from prostate cancer, to lower risk of depression, to better diabetes control. Speak with your doctor if you are new to exercise or are recovering from treatment.
P.S. Speaking of exercise…..you are invited to join PCF’s 2nd annual 108 Miles in September run/walk challenge during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Not ready for 108 miles? No problem! You can set your own goal to join the fun, be part of the Facebook group, and raise funds to fight prostate cancer. Click here for more information and to sign up.