Counting Steps and Beating Lung Cancer

In a recent study, 50 lung cancer patients wore step counters to measure their activity. Those who had been the least active had the worst outcomes once chemoradiation began: 50 percent of them required hospitalization during treatment, and 55 percent died within 18 months. Only 9 percent of those who were more active needed to be hospitalized, and fewer than 25 percent passed away.

Earlier, the same researchers found that patients often walk less during treatment, “an indicator that [they were] at high risk for hospitalization within the next few days,” said the study’s lead author. “If someone’s step counts decrease dramatically—say, from 5,000 to 2,000 steps a day—that could be critical in identifying who needs extra care.”