Exercise more effective than drugs in lowering 37% cancer deaths, 28% recurrence, shows new international trial
Patients who started a structured exercise program with the support of a personal trainer or health coach after finishing treatment experienced a 37% lower risk of death and a 28% reduced risk of cancer recurrence or new cancers, compared to those who received only health advice, the trial found.
The findings were revealed in Chicago at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting, the world's largest cancer conference, and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. For the first time in medical history, there is clear evidence that exercise surpasses many commonly prescribed medications in preventing cancer recurrence and death, according to one of the world's leading cancer specialists.
In the trial, researchers enrolled 889 colon cancer patients from 2009 to 2023, with the majority (90%) diagnosed with stage three disease. Patients were randomly assigned to participate in a structured exercise programme (445) or to just get a healthy lifestyle booklet (444).
Patients in the exercise group met with a personal trainer twice a month for coaching and supervised workouts, later reducing to once a month, continuing this routine for a total of three years. The exercise group received coaching and support to help them reach specific exercise goals. Their weekly target was the equivalent of three to four walks lasting 45 to 60 minutes each, though patients were free to choose their preferred activities, some opted for kayaking or skiing, for example.
After five years, those in the exercise group showed a 28% lower risk of cancer recurrence or new cancers compared to the control group. After eight years, they also had a 37% lower risk of death than patients who only received the healthy lifestyle booklet.
Dr. Julie Gralow, Chief Medical Officer of ASCO and not involved in the decade-long study, described the quality of the findings as the 'highest level of evidence' and stated that they would bring about 'a major shift in recognising the importance of promoting physical activity during and after treatment.'
'We titled [the session it was presented in] As Good as a Drug. I would have retitled it Better than a Drug, because you don't have all the side-effects. It's the same magnitude of benefit of many drugs that get approved for this kind of magnitude of benefit – 28% decreased risk of occurrence, 37% decreased risk of death. Drugs get approved for less than that, and they're expensive and they're toxic. When I started three decades ago it was still the era where we'd be gentle and say, don't overdo yourself when you're on chemo. We've reversed that. I would say [exercise is] better than a drug,' The Guardian quoted her as saying.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
5 days ago
- NDTV
New Study Could Boost IVF Success: 3D Video Shows How Embryos Implant
Scientists have recorded a real-time 3D video of a human embryo implanting into the uterus for the first time. They have used a synthetic uterus model to show how the process happens naturally in the body. The artificial embryos were donated by Dexeus University Hospital in Barcelona, and the research was done by the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC). Researchers have analysed how the video of embryo implantation can help improve the success rates of fertility treatments such as IVF, reported The Guardian. Samuel Ojosnegros, principal investigator for the Bioengineering for Reproductive Health Group at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) in Spain and study co-author, said, "We have observed that human embryos burrow into the uterus, exerting considerable force during the process." He called it a surprisingly invasive process. He said that when an embryo implants, it has to push into and merge with the tissue of the uterus to begin the pregnancy. Many women feel cramps or have light bleeding when it happens, but until now, nobody had seen the process, said Ojosnegros. According to Live Science, when implantation happens, the embryo sticks to the inner lining of the uterus and then starts growing by making more cells. He said that when implantation fails, the pregnancy cannot continue, and researchers say this is one of the biggest reasons for infertility. It is responsible for about 60 per cent of miscarriages. When a fertilised egg attaches to the uterine lining six to twelve days following ovulation, this is known as embryo implantation. Researcher Amelie Godeau told The Guardian, stated that the embryo pulls and reshapes the uterus lining while trying to implant. She said, "It also reacts to external force cues. We hypothesise that contractions occurring in vivo may influence embryo implantation." According to the study's findings, these contractions might be a crucial factor in a successful implantation. During the menstrual cycle, the type of spontaneous contractions that occur in the human uterus varies, often occurring one to two times per minute. The researchers said that this implies that there might be a frequency range that is ideal for embryo implantation.
News18
13-08-2025
- News18
War-Ravaged Gaza Grapples With Deadly Surge In Antibiotic-Resistant Disease
Last Updated: Researchers analysed over 1,300 samples collected from al-Ahli hospital, which hosts one of the few remaining functional microbiology laboratories in the territory The situation in Gaza shows no sign of easing, as the region now faces a growing public health crisis with the rapid spread of antibiotic-resistant infections, raising fears of increased deaths from common illnesses. According to new research published on Tuesday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, this is the first study since the conflict began in October 2023 to show the widespread presence of multi-drug-resistant bacteria in Gaza, The Guardian reported. Researchers analysed over 1,300 samples collected from al-Ahli hospital, which hosts one of the few remaining functional microbiology laboratories in the territory. They found that nearly two-thirds of the samples contained bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics. 'This will mean longer and more serious illnesses and a high risk of transmission to others. It means an increased risk of death from really common infections. It means more amputations," said Krystel Moussally, an epidemiology adviser with Médecins Sans Frontières. 'It's a horrible picture." Experts warn that the spread of drug-resistant disease is worsened by Gaza's collapsed healthcare system, the lack of clean water and sanitation, and severe shortages of medicine. Hunger and malnutrition among the 2.3 million people living in Gaza have made many more vulnerable to infection. Co-author Bilal Irfan, a researcher with Harvard's Brigham and Women's Hospital, said the findings are 'particularly alarming" and stressed that the true scale of the crisis remains unknown due to the destruction of labs and deaths of medical staff. Gaza has long struggled with antibiotic resistance due to repeated conflicts and an Israeli blockade in place since 2007. However, experts say the current situation is unprecedented. The World Health Organization (WHO) had urged Israel to allow more medical aid into Gaza. 'We want to stock up, and we all hear about more humanitarian supplies are allowed in – well it's not happening yet, or it's happening at a way too low a pace," said Rik Peeperkorn, WHO's representative in the Palestinian territories. According to the WHO, only 50% of hospitals and 38% of primary healthcare centres in Gaza are partially functioning, with bed occupancy reaching 300% at some facilities. Israel's Ministry of Defence said it has sent over 45,000 tonnes of medical supplies to Gaza and helped set up 13 field hospitals. It also stated it will continue to allow medical aid in, while preventing its misuse by Hamas. Meanwhile, the Palestinian health ministry said 89 people were killed and over 500 injured in Israeli strikes across Gaza in the last 24 hours, bringing the death toll since October 2023 to 61,599. view comments Location : Palestine First Published: August 13, 2025, 19:20 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Indian Express
13-08-2025
- Indian Express
Gaza residents face new threat from antibiotic-resistant disease, says Lancet research
The war ravaged Gaza has now encountered a new threat wherein diseases resistant to antibiotics are spreading across the devastated territory endangering millions of people, who are already dealing with a scarcity of medical and aid supplies, The Guardian reported. The 22-month old war with Israel has crippled the medical supplies in the country and tens of thousands of people have been injured while several others have been suffering from malnutrition. Hence, the high levels of drug-resistant bacteria would signify more illness with a longer duration and a rapid transmission of infectious diseases leading to more deaths, experts said. The peer-reviewed research comment, published in the Lancet Infectious Disease on Tuesday, is the first since the war between Israel and Gaza based Hamas militant group began in October 2023 and suggests a prevalence of multi-drug-resistant bacteria in Gaza. According to epidemiology adviser to Médecins Sans Frontières, who is also the co-author of the studies on drug-resistant bacteria in Gaza, 'This will mean longer and more serious illnesses and a high risk of transmission to others. It means an increased risk of death from really common infections. It means more amputations. It's a horrible picture.' The study published in the Lancet Infectious Disease is based on 1,300 samples collected from al-Ahli hospital in Gaza, where one of the rare microbiology laboratories is still functional. Samples were taken from the patients over a 10-month period last year and two-thirds of them showed the presence of multi-drug-resistant bacteria. One of the authors of the study, Bilal Irfan, called the results 'particularly alarming'. 'We don't even know the true scale because of the destruction of almost all the laboratories and the killing of a lot of the medical staff, so to even get a small insight into what is happening in Gaza is extremely important,' Irfan said, quoted The Guardian. The Israeli offensive in Gaza has now killed more than 61,000 people and injured over 158,000 since the war began in October 2023. (with inputs from The Guardian)
