Do this 1 hour a week, cancer also progresses slowly

Scientists have shown an easy way for you to create your own "reserve fund" to fight cancer in the future.

Participating in regular physical activity before a cancer diagnosis may reduce the risk of disease progression and death, even modestly, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Sports Medicine.

Exercise habits give you a "reserve fund" to deal with cancer - Illustration AI: Thu Anh

A research team from Wits Sport and Health (WiSH) at the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa) analyzed data from more than 28,000 people who were patients with stage 1 cancer.

They were divided into three groups based on their previous physical activity habits: low physical activity; low physical activity; moderate to high physical activity (at least 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week).

After 13 years, 34.5% of them had advanced cancer, meaning the disease had spread to other organs. 81% survived after the follow-up period.

When compared with how physically active they were, scientists found that even low levels of physical activity - light exercise for less than 60 minutes a week - reduced the risk of cancer progression by 16% compared with sedentary people.

Meanwhile, the risk for participants at moderate to high levels was reduced by up to 27%.

Similarly, the risk of death from any cause was 33% lower in people who engaged in low levels of physical activity compared to those who were inactive, while moderate to high levels of activity reduced the risk of death by 47%.

According to the authors, these results emphasize the importance of physical activity in preventing and alleviating cancer.

Physical activity boosts immunity by increasing the number of natural killer cells, lymphocytes, neutrophils and eosinophils, the body's natural "fighters" that help fight disease, according to research cited in SciTech Daily.

Micah Soto

Update 11 February 2025