Exercise May Help Stop Cancer Progression, Lower Death Risk

Globally, cancer is the top cause of death. Experts are interested in finding multiple strategies to combat cancer, including exercise.

A study recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine explored how physical activity levels before cancer diagnosis affected cancer progression and mortality among participants in South Africa.

Including data from over 28,000 participants with stage 1 cancers, the study found that physical activity before cancer diagnosis was associated with lower mortality and cancer progression.

The effect of exercise on cancer progression and death

Authors of the current study note that physical activity helps prevent cancer and decrease mortality, based on available evidence. They wanted to examine how physical activity influenced cancer progression in South Africa, as data in this area are lacking.

This research was a retrospective longitudinal observational study. It used anonymized data from people on the medical plan Discovery Health Medical Scheme in South Africa.

All participants were also part of a health promotion program called Vitality. This program is linked to the Discovery Health Medical Scheme and encourages behaviors like physical activity. It also allows physical activity to be recorded through wearable fitness devices and other actions like clocked gym attendance.

Researchers included participants in their analysis who had stage 1 cancer and had been in the Vitality program for at least 1 year before their diagnosis. They also conducted a subanalysis that excluded certain cancer types that were more likely to affect physical activity levels prior to diagnosis.