We will continue to update this page with the latest research we can find relating to cancer and exercise. Please note that some of the links below will take you to sites that show the research paper's abstract, but where you might be asked to pay to see the article.
In a February 2010 report in the Journal of Urology, Risk of Urinary Incontinence Following Prostatectomy: The Role of Physical Activity and Obesity, researchers from Washington University School of Medicine evaluated the association of obesity and lack of physical activity with urinary incontinence in a sample of men who had undergone radical prostatectomy. Of the over 680 men in the study, researchers found that at 6 weeks after surgery 59% (405) of men were incontinent, defined as any pad use. At 58 weeks after surgery 22% (165) of men were incontinent. At 58 weeks incontinence was more prevalent in men who were obese and physically inactive (59% incontinent). Physical activity may offset some of the negative consequences of being obese because the prevalence of incontinence at 58 weeks was similar in the obese and active (25% incontinent), and nonbese and inactive (24% incontinent) men. The best outcomes were in men who were nonobese and physically active (16% incontinent). Men who were not obese and were active were 26% less likely to be incontinent than men who were obese and inactive. A stated conclusion: "Interventions aimed at increasing physical activity and decreasing weight in patients with prostate cancer may improve quality of life by offsetting the negative side effects of treatment."
In a September 2009 study in the Oncology Nursing Forum, Development of an Instrument to Measure Adherence to Strength Training in Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Survivors, researchers from the University of Nebraska in Omaha and in Lincoln, and Southern Oregon University in Ashland, reported that: "To increase adherence to exercise programs in breast cancer survivors, researchers must identify factors related to adherence. According to the American College of Sports Medicine ([ACSM], 2006), to achieve the health benefits of resistance training, participation should include a minimum of two days per week, at least one set of 8–12 repetitions, using 6–10 exercises that incorporate the major muscle groups. Unfortunately, exercise program adherence rates are alarmingly low. About 50% of healthy adult women who begin an exercise program quit after six months. The purpose of this study was to develop a theory [...] to assess factors influencing adherence to strength- or weight-based training (SWTE) programs in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors with bone loss. The general findings that prioritizing time, overcoming barriers, education, feedback, and social support are associated with exercise adherence are consistent with factors related to adherence as identified by [others, including] with previous research conducted in healthy women."
In an August 2009 study in the New England Journal of Medicine, Weight Lifting in Women with Breast-Cancer–Related Lymphedema, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, University of Minnesota, and the Mayo Clinic wrote: “Weight lifting has generally been proscribed [in other words, NOT recommended] for women with breast-cancer–related lymphedema, preventing them from obtaining the well-established health benefits of weight lifting, including increases in bone density." Their findings: “Contrary to common guidelines to avoid lifting with the affected limb, we found that weight lifting did not significantly affect the severity of breast cancer–associated lymphedema. In addition, weight lifting reduced the number and severity of arm and hand symptoms, increased muscular strength, and reduced the incidence of lymphedema exacerbations as assessed by a lymphedema specialist." They further stated that: “The total number of treatment sessions for exacerbation was 195 in the control group, as compared with 77 in the weight-lifting group. The number and severity of symptoms reported decreased more in the weight-lifting group than in the control group."
In an August 2009 study in the American Journal of Epidemiology, The Effect of Regular Exercise on Quality of Life Among Breast Cancer Survivors, researchers from Vanderbilt University reported on 36 month outcomes on a quality of life (QOL) study of 1,829 Chinese women diagnosed with breast cancer: "Exercise was assessed approximately 6, 18, and 36 months after diagnosis, and a metabolic equivalent task (MET) score in hours per week was derived. A cumulative, weighted exercise-MET score was created for regular exercise during the 36-month postdiagnosis period. QOL was evaluated at 6 and 36 months postdiagnosis. Both exercise-MET scores measured during the first 6 or 36 months postdiagnosis and the weighted exercise-MET score over the 36-month postdiagnosis period were positively associated with total QOL score and physical, psychological, and social well-being scores assessed at 36 months postdiagnosis (all P for trend < 0.05). Compared with nonregular exercisers, women with higher exercise-MET scores (8.3 MET-hours/week) were more likely to have higher scores for total QOL and specific QOL domains (all P < 0.05). The exercise-QOL association remained stable over time after cancer diagnosis. This study suggests that regular exercise after breast cancer diagnosis improves QOL."
In a May 2009 Journal of the American Medical Association research article,
Physical Activity and Survival After Breast Cancer Diagnosis, researchers from Harvard Medical School and Dana Farber Cancer Institute examined whether physical activity among women with breast cancer decreases their risk of death from breast cancer compared with more sedentary women. Their finding: “Physical activity after a breast cancer diagnosis may reduce the risk of death from this disease. The greatest benefit occurred in women who performed the equivalent of walking 3 to 5 hours per week at an average pace, with little evidence of a correlation between increased benefit and greater energy expenditure. Women with breast cancer who follow US physical activity recommendations may improve their survival."
In a May 2009 Journal of Cancer Survivorship article,
Adherence to a randomized controlled trial of aerobic exercise in breast cancer survivors: the Yale exercise and survivorship study, researchers at Yale University found in studying exercise adherence that: “Overall, the women randomized to the exercise group demonstrated high levels of adherence to the intervention, meeting 81% of the prescribed 150 min/week. Our adherence rates are similar to rates observed in exercise trials in healthy, postmenopausal overweight women, and breast cancer survivors. […] Whether lower doses of exercise may improve cancer prognosis and survivorship is unknown."
In a March 2009 British Journal of Sports Medicine article, Physical activity interventions for cancer survivors, Melinda Irwin from the Yale School of Public Health wrote: “Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are highly prevalent in cancer survivors, and a growing number of publications have shown statistically and clinically significant associations between low levels of physical activity, obesity and cancer recurrence and death. Adoption and maintenance of physical activity is a difficult challenge for healthy adults, and is likely to be even more difficult after a cancer diagnosis. Since a majority of cancer survivors are not currently participating in recommended levels of physical activity, resulting in greater disease risk and health care costs, targeted exercise therapy has the potential to benefit a large number of cancer survivors. Cancer survivors should seek out the opportunities that exist towards being physically active, and oncologists should also become aware of the benefits of exercise, assist their patients by endorsing existing physical activity guidelines, and refer their patients to certified cancer exercise trainers."
In a March 2009 article in Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases, Exercise therapy across the prostate cancer continuum, researchers from Duke University, and the Durham, NC VA Medical Center note that: "Exercise has been increasingly investigated as an adjunct therapy for cancer patients." Their paper goes on to "comprehensively review the literature regarding exercise as a therapeutic adjunct for prostate cancer (PC). Several studies in patients with PC have shown quality of life improvements associated with exercise. Although no study has established the effect of exercise as a monotherapy for PC, the molecular mechanisms responsible for the potential association between exercise and PC are being elucidated. Given the low-risk, high-reward nature of these studies, further investigations are needed to better define the function of exercise along the PC continuum."
In a February 2009 article in the Journal of Obesity, Exercise Improves Body Fat, Lean Mass, and Bone Mass in Breast Cancer Survivors, researchers from Yale University, Dana Farber Cancer Institute and others found that: “
In our study, aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, was associated with decreases in body fat, increases in LBM, and maintenance of BMD in breast cancer survivors. The observation that aerobic exercise accompanied by fat loss was not associated with a significant loss of BMD is important. In postmenopausal women, adipose tissue is the main site of androgen conversion to estrogen by the enzyme aromatase (35). As postmenopausal women lose body fat, their serum estrogen concentrations decrease, which could cause a decrease in BMD. Thus, it is plausible that exercise accompanied by fat loss could have a negative effect on bone health in postmenopausal women. However, in our study, we observed a maintenance of BMD with exercise and subsequent fat loss. Furthermore, women who were taking aromatase inhibitors, which significantly decreased estrogen concentrations to undetectable levels (36), and randomized to exercise, experienced decreases in body fat, increases in lean mass and maintenance of BMD and BMC, compared to no change in body fat and losses in LBM, BMD, and BMC among women randomized to usual care. These results are encouraging for the many postmenopausal women who are recommended to take aromatase inhibitors to improve their prognosis."
In a January 2009 research journal, Randomized Controlled Trial of Aerobic Exercise on Insulin
and Insulin-like Growth Factors in Breast Cancer Survivors:
The Yale Exercise and Survivorship Study, researchers from Yale University and Dana Farber Cancer Institute wrote that: “High insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels may be associated with an increased breast cancer risk and/or death. Given the need to identify modifiable factors that decrease insulin, IGF-I, and breast cancer risk and death, we investigated the effects of a 6-month randomized controlled aerobic exercise intervention versus usual care on fasting insulin, IGF-I, and its binding protein (IGFBP-3) in postmenopausal breast cancer survivors." Their study found that: “Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, decreases IGF-I and IGFBP-3. The exercise-induced decreases in IGF may mediate the observed association between higher levels of physical activity and improved survival in women diagnosed with breast cancer."
In November-December 2008 Cancer Journal article, Impact of Nutrition and Exercise on Cancer Survival, researchers from the Yale School of Public Health wrote: “One of the most common questions cancer survivors ask is: “What can I do to improve my survival?" Physical activity and diet are modifiable behaviors with a multitude of health benefits. A growing number of publications show a strong relationship between physical activity and breast and colon cancer survival. Likewise, although not proven, it is certainly prudent to advise cancer survivors to adopt a diet associated with generalized cancer risk reduction. Numerous observational studies also have demonstrated that obesity and weight gain adversely affect cancer prognosis, adding further evidence to the hypothesis that physical activity and diet, two of the critical components of obesity and weight gain, influence cancer prognosis."
In a September 2008 article, A Prospective Study of Cardiorespiratory
Fitness and Breast Cancer Mortalityresearchers at University of South Carolina and University of North Texas wrote that: “We examined the association between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and risk of death from breast cancer. Women (N = 14,811), aged 20 to 83 yr with no prior breast cancer history, received a preventive medical examination at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas, Texas, between 1970 and 2001. Mortality surveillance was completed through December 31, 2003." Their findings: In this study, we observed an inverse association between CRF and the risk of breast cancer mortality. Women in the moderate and high CRF groups demonstrated a 33% and 55% lower risk, respectively, of dying of breast cancer. This association persisted after adjustment of other available potential confounders. Women with an exercise capacity less than 8 METs (fitness level) had a nearly threefold higher risk of dying of breast cancer compared with those with higher METs level (Q8). These data suggest that an exercise capacity of at least 8 METs may be needed to provide substantially protective benefits."
In a Journal of Clinical Oncology article published in August, 2008,
Influence of Pre- and Postdiagnosis Physical Activity on Mortality in Breast Cancer Survivors: The Health, Eating, Activity, and
Lifestyle Study, researchers from the Yale School of Medicine, National Cancer Institute and others determined the following: “We found that women who participated in any moderate-intensity recreational physical activity, such as brisk walking, after diagnosis had an approximately 64% lower risk of death than inactive women. Furthermore, exercising at recommended amounts of 2.5 hours per week of moderate-intensity physical activity compared with no exercise was associated with a slightly higher risk reduction of 67%. Although our risk reductions were observed for total deaths, the majority of deaths were from breast cancer."
In a February 2008 journal article,
Physical Activity and Survival after Diagnosis of Invasive Breast Cancer, researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, the University of Wisconsin, Dartmouth Medical School and others stated that:
“Among 4,482 women … overall, we observed a significantly lower risk of death from breast cancer and death from any cause with increasing total postdiagnosis recreational physical activity. Analyses in which postdiagnosis recreational physical activity was classified as moderate or vigorous intensity showed that women who participated in moderate-intensity activity had a lower risk of death. However, there was no association of vigorous-intensity recreational physical activity and risk of breast cancer death.[…] These results imply that physical activity has an important benefit on survival regardless of the interval since breast cancer diagnosis."
In an October 2007 research article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology,
Effects of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Adjuvant Chemotherapy: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial, researchers at University of Alberta, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, British Columbia Cancer Agency and University of British Columbia reported their findings about the effects of exercise on breast cancer patients DURING chemotherapy. Their findings, which we note differ from many findings AFTER chemotherapy treatments have completed: "Our primary end point was cancer-specific QOL assessed by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Anemia scale. Secondary end points were fatigue, psychosocial functioning, physical fitness, body composition, chemotherapy completion rate, and lymphedema. Neither aerobic nor resistance exercise significantly improved cancer-specific QOL in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, but they did improve self-esteem, physical fitness, body composition, and chemotherapy completion rate without causing lymphedema or significant adverse events." The study specifically noted, regarding Resistance Exercise Training (RET, which means training with weights): "Unexpectedly, RET improved chemotherapy completion rate," about which they noted: "Given the exploratory nature of this finding, it should be replicated before it is considered reliable."
In a June 2007 journal article, Greater Survival After Breast Cancer in Physically Active Women With High Vegetable-Fruit Intake Regardless of Obesity, researchers from University of California San Diego Cancer Center, Stanford Univerity, Kaiser Permanente, Arizona Cancer Center and The University of Texas Anderson Cancer Center determined that: “In […] breast cancer survivors who were interested in lifestyle change and were predominantly nonsmokers, the 30% of women who were physically active and consumed at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits each day had an estimated 10-year mortality rate of 7%, approximately half that of any other combination of PA and dietary pattern. Of particular importance, this halving of risk was seen in women who were not obese as well as in those who were obese. Indeed, it appeared that both being physically active and having a healthy dietary pattern attenuated the increase in risk observed among the obese. It was noted, however, that obese women were approximately one half as likely as nonobese women to be both physically active and to have a healthy dietary pattern."
In an August 2006 journal article, Physical Activity and Survival After Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis, researchers from Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Healther, and Massachusetts General Hospital wrote that: “In our analyses, women who were physically active after the diagnosis of non-metastatic colorectal cancer experienced a significantly decreased risk of colorectal cancer–specific death as well as death from any cause. Interestingly, level of activity before diagnosis did not influence cancer-specific or overall survival. Colorectal cancer patients who increased their activity from their levels before diagnosis had an approximately 50% reduction in both colorectal cancer–specific and all-cause mortality."
In an August 2006 journal article ,Impact of Physical Activity on Cancer Recurrence and
Survival in Patients With Stage III Colon Cancer: Findings
From CALGB 89803, researchers from Dana Farber Cancer Institue, Duke University, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Ohio State University, Mayo Clinic, and others wrote: “In a cohort of patients with stage III colon cancer treated with surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy surviving without recurrence 6 months after chemotherapy, physical activity after diagnosis was associated with a significant reduction in cancer recurrence and overall mortality. Patients who engaged in at least 18 metabolic equivalent task-hours (MET-hours) per week of activity (the equivalent of walking 6 or more hours per week at an average pace) had a statistically significant 47% improvement in disease-free survival (DFS), compared with inactive patients."