Prostate cancer: exercise reduces mortality

The latest study, presented at a Cancer Prevention Research Conference in Houston organized by the American Association for Cancer Research, indicates that the practice of 15 minutes of exercise per day may reduce the overall mortality of patients treated for prostate cancer.

In reaching this conclusion, Dr. Stacey Kenfield and colleagues at Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts studied the levels of physical activity of 2686 patients enrolled in The Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, before and after diagnosis of  non-metastatic prostate cancer.

Men who had at least 3 times per week the equivalent of 30 minutes of jogging, cycling, swimming or tennis had a reduced risk of death by 35%.

Those who walked for at least 4 hours per week had a reduced risk of 23% of deaths compared to those who walked less than 20 minutes per week.

Those who walked for at least 90 minutes at normal pace or faster had a reduced risk of 51% of deaths, compared with men who walked less than 90 min at a leisurely pace.

Overall, men who had at least 5 hours of vigorous physical activity per week had a reduced risk of dying from prostate cancer.

"This is the first major study to examine the relationship between exercise and mortality in patients treated for prostate cancer," notes Dr. Kenfield. "The mechanism is not well defined, but we know that exercise affects various hormones that can stimulate prostate cancer and the immune system and reduce inflammation. Our data indicate that for people cured of prostate cancer, moderate activity can improve overall survival and at least five hours of vigorous activity per week could reduce mortality from prostate cancer".

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