Fitness and muscle strength could cut deaths of cancer patients in half, study finds | Cancer research

Muscle strength and good physical fitness could cut cancer patients’ risk of dying from their disease by almost half, according to a study which suggests that suitable exercise programs could increase survival.

The likelihood of dying from cancer has decreased significantly in recent decades thanks to better awareness of symptoms and better access to treatment and care.

However, despite notable progress, side effects of treatment, particularly on the heart and muscles, can affect survival.

An analysis of data from nearly 47,000 patients with various types and stages of cancer suggests that muscular strength and good physical fitness are linked to a significantly lower risk of death from any cause in those with of cancer.

The results were published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

To shed light on potential options for extending survival in these patients, researchers sought to determine whether muscle strength and cardiorespiratory fitness might be associated with a lower risk of death, and whether cancer type and stage might have an influence.

The researchers, led by Edith Cowan University in Australia, searched for relevant studies published in English through August 2023, including 42 in the final pooled data analysis.

Compared to patients with low muscle strength and low levels of cardiorespiratory fitness, those at the other end of the spectrum were 31 to 46 percent less likely to die from any cause, the researchers said.

This combination of strength and fitness was associated with an 8% to 46% reduced risk of death from any cause in patients with stage 3 or 4 cancer, and a lower risk of death from any cause. The cause is reduced by 19 to 41% in patients with lung or digestive system cancer. .

“Our results highlight that muscle strength could potentially be used in clinical practice to determine mortality risk in patients with advanced cancer and that, therefore, muscle strengthening activities could be used to increase life expectancy,” the researchers wrote.

A second study, also published Wednesday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that maintaining a slimmer waistline and exercising regularly was far more effective in reducing cancer risk than doing just one or the other.

The research, funded by the World Cancer Research Fund, found that people need to exercise and maintain their weight to reap the maximum benefits.

The study, involving more than 315,000 people, was the first to investigate how the two actions combine to reduce cancer risk.

Dr Helen Croker, deputy director of research and policy at the World Cancer Research Fund, said: “These findings highlight the importance of a holistic approach to lifestyle rather than focusing on just one factor. to reduce the risk of cancer. Maintaining a healthy weight and, in particular, having a waist circumference within recommended limits and being physically active, as well as eating a healthy diet, are all crucial steps in reducing the risk of cancer.

Meanwhile, Cancer Research UK, a leading cancer charity, announced on Wednesday that it and its partners will commit £10 million to create new tools using AI and analytics to improve early detection and prevention of cancer.

Doctors may soon be able to predict an individual’s cancer risks and offer personalized help, thanks to the five-year data-driven Cancer Detection Program, the charity said.

This could lead to those most at risk being offered cancer screening more frequently, or at a younger age, while those most at risk could be spared unnecessary tests.