Exercise may help patients with colon cancer live as long as those who never had it, study suggests

Exercise is associated with longer survival in patients with colon cancer and a lower chance of the cancer coming back, according to a new study. Shironosov/iStockphoto/Getty Images via CNN Newsource

There is something you can do that may help you live longer after a colon cancer diagnosis, and you can start it on your own, at your home or a gym.

Exercise is associated with longer lives for patients with colon cancer, according to a new study published Monday in Cancer, a journal of the American Cancer Society.

“Although many cancer patients now live longer after cancer than decades ago, survival rates after a cancer diagnosis still remain shorter than the general population,” said lead study author Dr. Justin Brown, associate professor and director of the Cancer Metabolism Program at Louisiana State University’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge.

“This study suggests that after a diagnosis of colon cancer, engaging in physical activity may help patients live longer, and for some patients, help them live as long, or even longer, as those in the general population without cancer,” he added.

While researchers have known that regular exercise can improve survival rates, less has been known about whether it can help patients get back to the survival rates of those who never had cancer, said Dr. Keith Diaz, associate professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. He was not involved in the research.

The findings may be welcome both to people undergoing treatment and in remission, Brown said. Among younger adults, ages 20 to 49, colorectal cancer is estimated to become the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States by 2030.

“Patients are often eager to understand how the choices that they make outside of the walls of the cancer center may impact how they feel, function and survive,” he added.

Exercise can reduce cancer cells’ ability to spread

To conduct the study, researchers surveyed nearly 3,000 patients with colon cancer about their physical activity levels during and after chemotherapy, Brown said.

Researchers then followed the patients for about six years and analyzed how long each person survived against their predicted lifespan based on their age, sex and year of diagnosis, he added.

Not only did those who exercise regularly live longer, but they also saw a reduced risk of the cancer returning, Diaz said.

The study was observational, meaning researchers can’t say for sure that the exercise caused the improved survival rates, but it does make sense that physical activity would help, Diaz said.

“The benefits of exercise after a colon cancer diagnosis are multi-faceted. Exercise improves heart health, mental health, and gut health, all of which play important roles in long-term survival,” he added in an email.

Researchers still are learning a lot about the exact mechanisms, but physical activity does seem to have a positive impact on both the environment cancers cells may try to grow in and the cells themselves, Diaz said.

Exercise can reduce the inflammation and insulin levels that allow cancer cells to grow and spread, he said. Physical activity also improves the immune system, making it easier for the body to detect and eliminate the cancer cells.

Small lifestyle changes make a big difference

A cancer diagnosis may feel unmooring, but this study can give patients and their loved ones some comfort in knowing there are things in their control, Brown said.

“In this study, we showed that small amount of physical activity each day may contribute to improved survival,” he said. “Little changes to behaviors, when integrated over the lifespan, make a big difference for health.”

The data showed that five to six hours of activities weekly such as brisk walking was helpful, but the more exercise the better, Brown said. But those who aren’t active would benefit from even just a little, he added.

Questions still remain about how much physical activity, what kind and what intensity is helpful for survival after cancer, Diaz added.

A July 2023 study showed just a minute or two of vigorous exercise –– such as power walking, strenuous housework or playing with kids –– could reduce cancer risk. Another study published in March 2023 suggested 11 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity (which can include dancing, jogging, cycling and swimming) every day could lower risk for diseases including cancer.

It’s powerful to see what a difference lifestyle changes can make, Diaz said.

“That’s incredibly encouraging news for colon cancer survivors — it underscores that a cancer diagnosis isn’t the end, and there can be many healthy years ahead,” he said.