Enhancing Your Body’s Cancer Defense through Exercise

Doing tough exercise for 45 minutes, three times a week, might lower the chances of getting cancer for people with Lynch syndrome, a gene problem that can cause cancer when you’re young.

Glenn Burgess

Researchers from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center discovered that this amount of exercise can make your immune system better at fighting cancer cells. They made sure the exercise plan was very clear and specific: 45 minutes of intense cycling, three days a week.

According to oncologist Eduardo Vilar-Sanchez, MD, PhD, who led the study, they wanted to give people clear instructions because vague advice like “just exercise” is hard to follow.

Even though the study involved only 21 people, it adds to a lot of evidence showing that regular exercise can reduce the chances of getting cancer, especially colorectal cancer. But what’s interesting is that these MD Anderson researchers wanted to understand how exercise can lower the risk of cancer.

Exercise & Your Body's Defenses Against Cancer

In the study, all 21 participants had Lynch syndrome, and they were split into two groups. One group followed a 12-month exercise program, while the other group did not. The scientists measured their heart and lung fitness and monitored special immune cells, called natural killer cells and CD8+ T cells, in their blood and colon tissues.

“These immune cells are like the body’s security team, and they were more active in the participants who exercised,” explained Vilar-Sanchez.

The exercise group also experienced a decrease in the levels of an inflammation marker called prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). This decrease was closely linked to the increase in immune cells. Both of these changes suggest that the immune system became stronger.

The researchers believe that these changes are connected to a boost in the body’s “immune surveillance” system, which helps find and eliminate cells that could potentially turn into cancer.

Building on What We Already Know

Scientific research has already provided strong evidence that regular exercise can lower the risk of various types of cancer. A comprehensive review conducted in 2019, which analysed over 45 studies involving millions of people, found convincing proof that exercise can reduce the risk of cancers such as bladder, breast, colorectal, and gastric cancer by as much as 20%.

However, the study from MD Anderson Cancer Center is the first to establish a direct connection between exercise and changes in immune biomarkers, according to the researchers. Xavier Llor, MD, PhD, who is the director of the GI Cancer Prevention Program at Yale Cancer Center and a professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine (not involved in the study), emphasised the significance of understanding the biological basis behind the correlation, rather than just observing it epidemiologically.

Previous studies had examined the relationship between exercise and inflammation markers in both healthy individuals and those with a history of colon polyps. However, neither of these studies yielded meaningful results.

The success of this new study may be attributed to the higher-intensity exercise regimen or the collection of additional colon tissue samples. Additionally, advancements in technology have enabled more sensitive measurements, which may have contributed to the study’s success.

What You Should Keep in Mind

While the study focused on individuals with Lynch syndrome, Vilar-Sanchez is cautiously optimistic that the findings might also be relevant to the general population.

Llor shares this optimism and suggests that exercise could potentially protect against various types of cancer using similar mechanisms.

The American Cancer Society reports that more than 15% of cancer-related deaths in the United States (excluding tobacco-related cancers) are linked to lifestyle factors such as lack of physical activity, excessive body weight, alcohol consumption, and poor nutrition. The organisation recommends 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week to lower cancer risk.

Interestingly, the study participants experienced a significant immune response with just 135 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week.

Vilar-Sanchez emphasises that the public should be aware that engaging in any form of exercise can have positive effects on cancer prevention.

Conclusion

The research not only reinforces existing evidence that regular exercise can lower the risk of various cancers but also delves into the biological mechanisms behind this correlation, highlighting the role of immune system changes. This study’s success may be attributed to the intensity of the exercise regimen and advances in technology, allowing for more sensitive measurements.

Considering that a significant proportion of cancer-related deaths in the United States are associated with lifestyle factors, including physical inactivity, these findings emphasise the importance of incorporating exercise into daily routines.

The American Cancer Society recommends a specific amount of moderate-intensity exercise to reduce cancer risk, but this study suggests that even shorter durations of high-intensity exercise can trigger a significant immune response.

In essence, the public should be aware that any form of exercise, be it moderate or intense, can contribute to the prevention of cancer. These findings underscore the potential of exercise as a valuable tool in the fight against cancer and encourage individuals to incorporate regular physical activity into their lives to safeguard their health.