Exercise - better than chemoJohn L. Marshall, MD discusses a study done by
Campbell PT; Patel AV; Newton CC; Jacobs EJ; Gapstur SM Epidemiology Research Program, American Cancer Society Go and get yourselves some Nikes instead of chemotherapy. If you engage in the equivalent of 150 minutes a week of physical activity -- basically, walking before and after [a colon cancer diagnosis] the risk reduction [in all-cause mortality] is 0.58. That is better than any chemotherapy we have ever given to anyone. Physical activity after diagnosis, and certainly pre- and post-, is better, but even if you just pick it up afterwards, you will have a significant improvement in outcome. If you are a couch potato and do not exercise, your risk goes the other way, to risk escalation, with a 1.36 hazard ratio [for all-cause mortality]. |
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