Exercise the key to beating cancer

AUSTRALIAN research shows the risk of dying of cancer may be reduced by nearly half by walking and lifting moderate weights.

A review of more than 100 studies involving tens of thousands of cancer patients published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found mortality rates among those those who regularly exercised fell 28-44 per cent. The risk of cancer re-occurring dropped up to 35 per cent and side-effects from chemotherapy were less pronounced among patients predominantly suffering from breast, bowel and prostate cancer.

In light of the findings, lead author Associate Professor Prue Cormie at the Australian Catholic University’s Institute for Health and Ageing, is calling for more funding to ensure all cancer patients have access to exercise treatment facilities in hospitals.

“Exercise does significantly protect against dying from cancer, against cancer coming back and it reduces the severity of treatment-related side effects in people with cancer,” she said.