Active Living, Active Protection: New Study Unveils the Link Between Daily Activity and Reduced Cancer Risk

Strong evidence supports the powerful link between regular physical activity and cancer prevention. New research published in Radiology and Oncology demonstrates that increased physical activity correlates with a lower risk of developing various cancers, including breast, colon, and potentially many others. The mechanisms behind this protective effect are multifaceted. Regular exercise helps reduce inflammation, boosts immune function, regulates hormones, improves insulin sensitivity, and aids in weight management, all of which contribute to a lower cancer risk. To reap the benefits, aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week. Incorporate strength training and limit sedentary behavior. Remember, any amount of physical activity is beneficial, so start gradually and find enjoyable activities to sustain your routine.

Key points

• Strong Evidence: Regular physical activity is linked to a reduced risk of various cancers, especially breast and colon cancer.

• Dose-Response Relationship: The more active you are, the lower your cancer risk.

• Multiple Benefits: Exercise helps reduce inflammation, boost immunity, regulate hormones, and aid in weight management.

• Recommended Activity: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week.

• Variety is key. Incorporate strength training and limit sedentary behavior.

• Start Small: Any increase in physical activity is beneficial, so begin gradually and find enjoyable activities.

• Ongoing Research: Scientists continue to study the complex relationship between exercise and cancer prevention

Physical Activity: A Powerful Tool in Cancer Prevention

In recent years, scientific evidence has been mounting that regular physical activity can play a significant role in reducing cancer risk. While the link between exercise and overall health has long been established, researchers are now uncovering the specific ways in which staying active may help prevent various types of cancer. This blog post will explore the current state of knowledge on physical activity and cancer prevention, looking at epidemiological data, proposed biological mechanisms, and practical recommendations.

The Growing Body of Evidence

Over the past several decades, numerous epidemiological studies consisting of large cohorts and case-control studies have demonstrated a dose-response relationship between physical activity and reduced cancer risk. Some of the strongest evidence relates to colon and breast cancer, but research suggests physical activity likely provides protection against many other cancer types as well. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reports that a staggering 25% of all cancer cases worldwide are caused by obesity and sedentary lifestyle. This highlights just how impactful our activity levels can be when it comes to cancer risk. While genetics and other non-modifiable factors play a role, the choices we make regarding diet and exercise appear to have a major influence.

Breast Cancer

Multiple studies have found that physically active women have up to 20% lower risk of developing breast cancer compared to inactive women. This protective effect has been observed in both pre- and post-menopausal women. The Nurses' Health Study, which collected data over 29 years, reported that women who engaged in moderate or vigorous physical activity for 7 or more hours per week had a 20% reduction in breast cancer risk compared to those reporting less than 1 hour per week of activity.

The mechanisms behind this are thought to involve changes in sex hormone levels, insulin resistance, and inflammatory markers. Physical activity appears to be particularly beneficial for reducing breast cancer risk in overweight and obese postmenopausal women.

Colorectal Cancer

The evidence for colorectal cancer is even more compelling. Studies have consistently shown that increased levels of physical activity are associated with a lower risk of developing colon cancer. A meta-analysis of prospective studies found that higher levels of physical activity were linked to a 24% reduction in colon cancer risk in case-control studies and a 17% reduction in cohort studies.

The protective effect seems to be stronger for men than women, possibly due to hormonal differences. Importantly, the benefits extend beyond just prevention; colon cancer survivors who maintain higher activity levels have been found to have lower rates of cancer recurrence and improved survival compared to inactive survivors.

Other Cancer Types

While breast and colorectal cancers have the most robust data, emerging evidence suggests physical activity may help prevent many other cancer types as well. Studies have found associations between higher activity levels and reduced risk of endometrial, kidney, liver, lung, gastric, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma cancers. The evidence is still preliminary for some of these, but the overall trend is promising.

Proposed Biological Mechanisms

Scientists have proposed several ways in which physical activity may help reduce cancer risk on a biological level. Some of the key mechanisms include:

• Anti-inflammatory effects: Regular, moderate exercise has been shown to reduce markers of systemic inflammation in the body. Chronic, low-grade inflammation is thought to play a critical role in cancer development and progression. During exercise, contracting muscles release anti-inflammatory substances called myokines, which can help counteract pro-inflammatory processes in the body.

• Improved immune function: Moderate physical activity enhances various aspects of immune function, including increasing the number and activity of natural killer cells that play a role in tumor suppression. It also boosts overall antioxidant capacity, helping neutralize cancer-promoting free radicals.

• Hormonal changes: Exercise influences levels of sex hormones and growth factors in ways that may reduce cancer risk. It can lower circulating estrogen and androgen levels while increasing the production of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). This reduces the bioavailability of these hormones to stimulate cancer growth.

• Insulin sensitivity: Regular activity improves insulin sensitivity and lowers levels of insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). High levels of these hormones have been linked to increased risk of various cancers.

• Reduced adiposity: Exercise helps reduce body fat, particularly metabolically active abdominal fat. Excess adiposity is associated with chronic inflammation and altered hormone levels that can promote cancer development.

• Improved gut microbiome: Recent studies have found that aerobic exercise can beneficially alter the composition and diversity of gut bacteria. A healthy microbiome is increasingly recognized as important for cancer prevention, particularly for gastrointestinal cancers.

• Decreased gastrointestinal transit time: Physical activity reduces the time it takes food to move through the digestive system. This may reduce exposure of the intestinal lining to potential carcinogens in food.

The Role of Exercise Intensity and Duration

While any amount of physical activity appears beneficial, research suggests that higher intensities and longer durations provide greater cancer protection. Current guidelines from major health organizations recommend adults get at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week for general health benefits.

However, when it comes to cancer prevention specifically, some studies indicate that more may be better. A large analysis by Matthews et al. found that engaging in 7.5–15 MET-hours per week of leisure-time physical activity (equivalent to 150–300 minutes of moderate activity) was associated with statistically significant lower risks of seven cancer types. Even higher levels of activity provided additional benefits for some cancers. Vigorous-intensity exercise seems to be particularly potent for reducing cancer risk. This may be because higher-intensity activity leads to more dramatic changes in some of the proposed biological mechanisms, like inflammation and hormone levels. However, any increase in activity level is likely to provide some benefit.

It's also worth noting that different types and intensities of exercise may have varied effects for different cancer types. More research is needed to determine optimal "prescriptions" for specific cancers. Additionally, the effects can vary based on individual factors like age, sex, body composition, and baseline fitness level.

Practical Recommendations

Given the strong evidence for cancer prevention benefits, major health organizations now include physical activity recommendations as part of their cancer prevention guidelines. Here are some key points to keep in mind:

• Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week. More is generally better; try to work up to 300 minutes of moderate or 150 minutes of vigorous if possible.

• Include muscle-strengthening activities involving all major muscle groups on two or more days per week.

• Reduce sedentary time; break up long periods of sitting with light activity when possible.

• Any increase in activity level is beneficial, even if you can't meet the full recommendations. Some activity is always better than none.

• Choose activities you enjoy to increase the likelihood of sticking with them long-term. This could include brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, dance classes, sports, or any other type of movement that gets your heart rate up.

• Gradually increase intensity and duration over time as your fitness improves.

• Combine increased physical activity with a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains for maximum cancer prevention benefits.

• If you have any existing health conditions or concerns, consult with your doctor before dramatically increasing your activity level.

Challenges and Future Directions

While the evidence for physical activity in cancer prevention is strong, there are still some areas that require further research:

• Determining optimal "doses" of activity for specific cancer types and population subgroups.

• Developing more precise ways to measure physical activity in large population studies.

• Clarifying how different types, intensities, and durations of exercise impact cancer risk.

• Exploring potential differences in the effects of physical activity based on factors like genetics, race/ethnicity, and body composition.

• Investigating the impact of physical activity on cancer progression and recurrence in cancer survivors.

• Elucidating the exact biological mechanisms by which exercise exerts its anti-cancer effects.

• As research in this area continues to evolve, we can expect to gain an even clearer picture of how to optimize physical activity for cancer prevention. In the meantime, the take-home message is clear: regular, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity is one of the most powerful tools we have for reducing cancer risk.

Conclusion

The growing body of evidence linking physical activity to reduced cancer risk is both exciting and empowering. Unlike many other cancer risk factors, physical activity is something we have direct control over. By making a commitment to stay active, we can significantly lower our risk of developing various types of cancer.

The mechanisms by which exercise protects against cancer are complex and multifaceted, involving effects on inflammation, hormones, immune function, body composition, and more. This multi-pronged approach may help explain why physical activity appears to be so potent in cancer prevention.

While more research is needed to fine-tune recommendations, the overall message is clear: move more and sit less. Any increase in physical activity is likely to provide some benefit, but aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week is a good goal for most adults. By making regular physical activity a priority in our lives, we can take an active role in reducing our cancer risk. Combined with other healthy lifestyle choices like maintaining a nutritious diet and avoiding tobacco, staying physically active is one of the most powerful steps we can take to protect our long-term health and well-being. So let's get moving - our bodies will thank us for it!

Journal Reference

Jurdana, M. (2021). Physical Activity and Cancer risk. Actual Knowledge and Possible Biological Mechanisms. Radiology and Oncology, 55(1), 7-17. https://doi.org/10.2478/raon-2020-0063

Image credit : https://www.frontiersin.org/files/MyHome%20Article%20Library/557997/557997_Thumb_400.jpg

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