The Anonymous Widower

Exercise ‘Better Than Drugs’ To Stop Colon Cancer Returning

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article in The Times.

This is the sub-heading.

First study of its kind finds that an ‘exercise prescription’ can reduce the chances of colon cancer patients dying from a relapse by a third

These first two paragraphs add more detail.

Exercise can be “better than a drug” for reducing the risk of cancer returning, a study has found.

Patients with advanced colon cancer who received an “exercise prescription” after finishing their cancer treatment were found to be a third less likely to die from the disease.

I find these findings from the The CO21 Challenge trial, partially funded by Cancer Research UK’s Stand Up To Cancer fund, rather remarkable.

The research was led by Christian Booth, of Queen’s University in Canada, which illustrates the international nature of medical research.

On a third reading of the article, I noticed the full implications of this paragraph.

Alongside benefits for colon cancer, Booth said that fewer patients in the active group went on to develop breast cancer, suggesting that there may be an effect on other cancer types too. Of those who received an exercise prescription, only two went on to develop breast cancer, compared with 12 in the control group.

This could be a very significant study, that changes the treatment of cancer.

June 1, 2025 - Posted by AnonW | Health | Canada, Cancer, Cancer Research UK, Exercise