Moderate and regular exercise substantially reduces the risk that colon cancer will return and patients currently undergoing treatment can improve their overall chance of survival.
This excellent news was reported by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute scientists in a pair of studies published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in August 2006 but merit repeating because they show definite life prolonging impact by simple exercise in a life critical disease.
The researchers reported colon cancer patients who engaged in moderate exercise for 6 to 12 months after completing therapy had a 50 percent higher survival rate than those who didn’t exercise. The improvement took place in patients with very early and more advanced (but non-spreading) colon cancer. All patients had undergone surgery.