Exercise lowers prostate cancer death
Men with prostate cancer who exercise regularly, in comparison with other patients, have a significantly lower risk of dying from the disease, a new study suggests.
The Harvard School of Public Health and University of California researchers also found that men who exercise more vigorously have the lowest death rate.
Patients who walked at least 90 minutes per week at a normal or brisk pace were 46% less likely to die from any cause compared to men who walked less than 90 minutes per week at a slow pace, according to the results published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in men in the United States. More than two million men in the US and 16 million men worldwide are prostate cancer survivors.
Researchers suggest that physical activity may increase the activation of some mechanisms that prevent prostate cancer growth while lowering inflammatory factors and boosting immune function.
"This is good news for men living with prostate cancer who wonder what lifestyle practices to follow to improve cancer survival," said Stacey Kenfield, the lead study author.
"Our results suggest that men can reduce their risk of prostate cancer progression after a diagnosis of prostate cancer by adding physical activity to their daily routine," he added.
"A modest amount of vigorous activity such as biking, tennis, jogging, or swimming for 3 hours or more a week may substantially improve prostate cancer specific survival," researchers suggest.
The study also showed that any type of regular exercise, even if it is as short as 15 minutes a day, improves overall survival, regardless of intensity.
Source: presstv.ir
