A recent study from the Siteman Cancer Center at the Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital has found that consistent exercise may lead to a lower risk of colon cancer mortality.
This collaborative study with the American Cancer Society is one of the first studies to show a relationship between a consistent, physically active lifestyle and the fatality of colon cancer.
“About 25 years ago people started noticing that individuals that were employed in very active occupations had lower rates of cancer than people who were employed in office jobs,” says researcher Kathleen Wolin. “So they thought that it might be related to physical activity.”
The research focused on colon cancer in particular and aimed to discover whether it mattered when a person became physically active.
“We just wanted to get a sense of this consistency question,” she says. “Can you hit your mid-life crisis and decide you are going to start being active and see a benefit, or if you get injured and something happens and you stop being active, how does that change your risk?”
The study required following up with participants for a long period of time and having repeated contact with them to assess their physical activity levels. The study began in 1982 by asking a group of 150,000 men and women questions about their current lifestyle. They followed up with those respondents in 1992 and 1997 and continued to look at cancer diagnosis and fatality up until 2006.
She says that the reasoning behind this relationship is unknown, but that there are a few predominant theories. One is that consistent physical activity tends to systemic inflammation levels, and data suggests that high levels of chronic inflammation are associated with an increased risk of cancer, particularly in the colon. The other theory is that physical activity helps the body improve its response to insulin, which is related to the risk for colon cancer.
“People who are physically active have a better ability to monitor insulin levels,” Wolin says. “And their body responds in a more modulated fashion to stimulus in the insulin pathway."
The most crucial age for exercising in order to reduce cancer risk is unknown, and physical activity does not help all cancers, she clarifies.
“What we know is that the earlier you can start the better off that you are for a number of reasons,” she explains. “And part of that is related to the fact that physical activity isn’t just related to cancer.”
However, it is never too late to start exercising.
“I think the other thing that people really need to realize is that when we talk about being active, we’re not talking about running marathons and we’re not talking about spending lots of money at a gym.
"If you enjoy playing tennis then go out and play tennis. You’re more likely to stick with it if it’s something you enjoy,” she says. “We tend to talk about walking because it’s something that is accessible for everyone to do.”
Consistent physical activity is the key.
To receive a personal risk assessment of your individual risk for colon cancer or other cancers you can visit yourdiseaserisk.com.
