I ask each of my patients to get some physical activity. Regular exercise is a fantastic way to keep your body in shape.

But did you know that physical activity is a powerful ally in the fight against various types of cancer?

In this essay, I will explore how exercise is crucial in maintaining a healthy weight, bolstering the immune system, and regulating hormones, key factors in preventing cancer.

We’ll delve into the science behind how exercise can lower your cancer risk.

I will highlight the latest research findings and expert insights to help you understand the compelling connection between staying active and cancer-free. I want to inspire you to get moving.

Exercise Reduces Cancer Risk

I exercise at least five days a week. My goal? I hope to reduce my risks of dementia, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, obesity, cancer, depression, and more. I hope to promote creativity, too.

Exercise can have a protective effect against cancer development. An umbrella review of the clinical literature discovered this:

Individuals who engaged in regular moderate to vigorous physical activity had a significantly lower risk of developing several cancer types, including breast, colon, and lung.

Physical activity appeared to be associated with a lower risk of seven cancer sites, including the following:

• Colon
• Breast
• Endometrial (uterus)
• Lung
• Esophagus
• Pancreas
• Meningioma

Colon (a protective association with recreational physical activity) and breast cancer (a protective association with overall physical activity) were supported by strong and highly suggestive evidence, respectively.

How Exercise Drops Cancer Risk: A New Study

A new study provides insights into how exercise drops cancer risk.

This small study enrolled only 21 individuals. The research builds on vast evidence associating regular exercise with lower cancer risk (especially colorectal cancer).

I want to present this study largely because the researchers went a step further; they investigated how exercise might lower cancer risk.

Lynch Syndrome

The 21 study subjects had a condition known as Lynch syndrome.

Lynch syndrome increases the risk of many cancer types. Parents can pass the gene for the condition to their children.

Families with Lynch syndrome have more cases of cancer than expected. The risk increases for colon, endometrial (uterus), and other cancer types. Lynch syndrome-associated cancers tend to happen at an earlier age.

Clinicians formerly referred to Lynch syndrome as hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). HNPCC describes families with a strong history of colon cancer.

“Lynch syndrome” is used when a cancer-causing gene runs in the family.

Study Details

MD Anderson Cancer Center (USA) researchers enrolled 21 volunteers for their small study. All of the participants had Lynch syndrome.

The scientists divided the subjects into two groups:

• #1: A 12-month exercise program group
• #2: A control group

The scientists checked the subjects’ cardio and respiratory fitness and tracked immune cells — natural killer cells and CD8+ T cells — in colon and blood tissues.

These immune cells are central to an attack on foreign entities, including cancer cells.

Study Results — How Exercise Drops Cancer Risk

Here are the study results:

The natural killer and CD8+ cells — charged with attacking cancer cells — appeared more active for those exercising.

Moreover, the exercisers had a drop in inflammatory marker prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). The drop was closely linked with the increase in immune cells. Both changes suggest a more strong immune response.

The researchers believe the changes reflect an “immune surveillance” system boost that should enhance the hunting down (and elimination) of cells that would otherwise become cancerous.

Summary — How Exercise Drops Cancer Risk

Physical activity reduces the risk of several cancer types.

The admittedly very small study is the first to show a link between exercise and changes in immune biomarkers. It is one thing to know the epidemiology and another to understand better how physical activity reduces cancer risk.

The study findings apply to those with Lynch syndrome, but I suspect we will discover similar immune changes in people without the syndrome.

The reasons behind this cancer-fighting power of exercise lie in its ability to help:

• Maintain a healthy body weight
• Control inflammation
• Improve insulin sensitivity
• Regulate hormones like estrogen.

All of these can influence cancer development. Do you exercise? If yes, what motivates you?

Final Thoughts

The American Cancer Society (ACS) notes that over 15 percent of all cancer deaths (aside from tobacco-related cancers) in the United States are related to lifestyle factors.

These factors include physical inactivity, excess body weight, alcohol use, and poor nutrition.

The ACS recommends weekly 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise to reduce cancer risk. Subjects in the study had a significant immune response with 135 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week.

Remember: Any physical activity may reduce your cancer risk. Do you lack time? Walking daily for 30 minutes is a relatively easy approach for many individuals. Just move!

Others may benefit from walking during lunch breaks or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Have you considered joining a fitness class or getting a walking (or workout) buddy?

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This expert guidance on physical activity translates to an average of 22 minutes daily on the low and 45 minutes on the high end.

Move More; Sit Less

Physical activity is anything that gets your body moving.

Visit: www.cdc.gov

You must be at the higher end of the physical activity recommendations for weight loss and maintenance. But how many steps does that mean? That is our question for today.

Our bodies are our gardens — our wills are our gardeners. — Shakespeare

Tracking steps facilitate weight loss

I wear a Fitbit, in part to monitor my sleep and also to track my steps. The device helps me with goal-setting.

Wearable fitness trackers and step counters help individuals who are overweight or have weight-related health conditions to lose weight, according to a pooled data analysis published by the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2021.

Researchers gathered data from 31 studies, including more than 2,200 people. The studies required subjects to wear fitness trackers (various types) and to set and meet weekly goals based on daily steps or minutes walked.

The most effective programs lasted at least 12 weeks. Those wearing research-grade fitness trackers lost the most weight (10 pounds) compared with those not using fitness tracers. Subjects wearing commercially available fitness trackers (such as my Fitbit) lost an average of six pounds and two BMI points.

The researchers observe that wearing a fitness tracker is a constant reminder to pursue health-related goals and remain active.

10,000 steps

“10,000 steps” is a common fitness goal that refers to the number of steps a person should aim to take in a day to maintain a healthy level of physical activity. It is believed to have originated from a marketing campaign for pedometer devices in Japan, where the goal of 10,000 steps was popularized as a way to encourage people to be more active.

Walking 10,000 steps a day can help you achieve several health benefits, such as improved cardiovascular health, increased energy levels, and weight management. It can also help reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.

It’s important to remember that 10,000 steps may not be the right goal for everyone, as it can vary depending on factors such as age, fitness level, and health conditions. Consulting with a doctor or a healthcare professional can help you determine the right number of steps.

How many steps do you need to improve your health?

A study published in Obesity reports this important finding:

Getting 10,000 steps daily (with approximately 3,500 of those as moderate to vigorous activity for a minimum of ten minutes at a time) appeared to be associated with enhanced weight loss. This change occurred in the context of a calorie-restricted diet.

The results are not surprising: Cut calories and move, and you will achieve weight loss. I burn about 100 calories for every mile that I walk. But what about the relationship between the number of steps taken and other health measures?

A separate JAMA Internal Medicine story reported that for every 2,000 steps, the risk of early death dropped by about one-tenth (8 to 11 percent), up to 10,000 steps. Investigators also discovered that taking 9,800 steps per day was linked to the most benefit.

Can walking (or similar activity) reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and dementia? The answer is yes. Writing in Nature Medicine, researchers made the following observations:

A daily walk totaling 10,000 steps was associated with a lower risk of heart disease, cancer, and dementia.

Physical activity has so many health benefits. We need to rethink what constitutes “exercise.” Very little movement can improve health.

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