NEW DELHI: A structured exercise regime can reduce colon cancer deaths by 37 percent and dramatically increase overall survival rates, said a first-of-its kind global study. Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the study found that people who took part in structured exercise programs experienced significantly higher rates of long-term survival. Colorectal cancer, which impacts the large intestine or rectum, is the third most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide.The study, which took place over 17 years and followed 889 colon cancer patients across six countries, including Australia, Canada and the UK, has also said that any type of workout from swimming to salsa classes counts.The participants, who had all been previously treated using surgery and chemotherapy, were randomly assigned either to a three-year structured exercise program or a health education program where they received materials promoting physical activity and healthy nutrition.Professor Janette Vardy, international co-chair of the study and Senior Research Fellow at Sydney Medical School and medical oncologist at the Sydney Cancer Survivorship Centre, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, said: “Our findings will change the way we treat colon cancer.” “After eight years, people who took part in structured exercise had a 90 percent chance of survival compared to 83 percent for those who did not. This shows that exercise isn’tjust beneficial, it can be life saving. Something as simple as physical activity can significantly improve life expectancy and long-term outcomes for people with colon cancer.”Dr Christopher Booth, Medical Oncologist at Kingston Health Sciences Centre and Professor of Oncology at Queen’s University and study co-chair, said: “As oncologists, one of the most common questions we are asked by patients is what else they can do to improve their outcomes.”
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