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Exercise DURING Colon Cancer Chemotherapy
Exercise DURING Colon Cancer Chemotherapy results in longer disease-free survival and longer overall survival, according to the research linked below.
Hi. My name is Bernie Davis. I was diagnosed with colon cancer at stage 3. I am NOT looking forward to undergoing the recommended six months of adjuvant chemotherapy. But here’s my plan.
- Daily moderate exercise (I love to walk)
- Prehabilitation-
- Enhance my gut microbiome-
- Anti-colon cancer relapse diet
Anything I can do to reduce my risk of my colon cancer relapsing or reduce the severity of side effects I WILL DO!
I linked the video below because the doctor stressed those messages that I think are critical.
Dr. Leslie stressed:
- Stresses it is research-based information-
- Moderate, daily exercise-
- Stresses side effect reduction-
- Stresses prehabilitation-
Exercise during chemotherapy… yes you should!!!
If you believe the research, even a little, my doing these things will make it easier to exercise during colon cancer chemotherapy. So I can exercise more so I’ll feel better, so I can… You get the idea.
Are you a colon cancer survivor? Did you exercise during chemotherapy? I need to read some success stories. Scroll down the page and post your experience. I will reply to you ASAP.
Thanks,
- Bernie Davis
- Colon Cancer Survivor
Structured Exercise after Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Colon Cancer
Abstract
Background: Preclinical and observational studies suggest that exercise may improve cancer outcomes. However, definitive level 1 evidence is lacking.
Methods: In this phase 3, randomized trial conducted at 55 centers, we assigned patients with resected colon cancer who had completed adjuvant chemotherapy to participate in a structured exercise program (exercise group) or to receive health-education materials alone (health-education group) over a 3-year period. The primary end point was disease-free survival.
Results: From 2009 through 2024, a total of 889 patients underwent randomization to the exercise group (445 patients) or the health-education group (444 patients). At a median follow-up of 7.9 years, disease-free survival was significantly longer in the exercise group than in the health-education group (hazard ratio for disease recurrence, new primary cancer, or death, 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.55 to 0.94; P = 0.02).
The 5-year disease-free survival was 80.3% in the exercise group and 73.9% in the health-education group (difference, 6.4 percentage points; 95% CI, 0.6 to 12.2). Results support longer overall survival in the exercise group than in the health-education group (hazard ratio for death, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.43 to 0.94).
The 8-year overall survival was 90.3% in the exercise group and 83.2% in the health-education group (difference, 7.1 percentage points; 95% CI, 1.8 to 12.3). Musculoskeletal adverse events occurred more often in the exercise group than in the health-education group (in 18.5% vs. 11.5% of patients).
Conclusions: A 3-year structured exercise program initiated soon after adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer resulted in significantly longer disease-free survival and findings consistent with longer overall survival. (Funded by the Canadian Cancer Society and others; CHALLENGE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00819208.).
Exercise DURING Colon Cancer Chemotherapy Exercise DURING Colon Cancer Chemotherapy