Active against Cancer

While I was going through treatment, I came across some amazing research.

A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that exercise can improve survival outcomes in cancer patients and survivors (reduced mortality rates and recurrence rates).

So, there is literally survival benefit to movement!

An umbrella review went even further, showing strong evidence that movement can:

• help regulate biological markers linked to tumour progression

• improve sleep

• reduce anxiety and depression

• ease treatment-related symptoms

• improve physical and social functioning

  
  

Mind–body practices like yoga, tai chi, and qigong were also shown to support emotional wellbeing.

All of this points to one thing: movement supports overall wellbeing, in every sense of the word.

Importantly, this includes gentle movement. It doesn’t have to be intense to be effective.

So exercise isn’t just good for quality of life, but structured exercise intervention after treatment can actually improve long-term outcomes (including recurrence risk and risk of death),

The results are particularly strong for colon cancer but they add to a broader body of evidence showing physical activity after diagnosis is associated with lower disease progression and mortality in several cancer types.

It's not fully proven but this is what we think is happening:

• immune boosting & inflammation reducing

• reduces body fat and levels of certain growth‑related hormones

• improving heart and metabolic health

• making it harder for cancer cells to come back

The emphasis was on sustainable, consistent activity, not high-intensity or extreme workouts.

It’s one of the first high‑level pieces of evidence supporting exercise as a part of survivorship care, not just general health advice.