3. Prostate Cancer
While some researchers remain divided on whether or not exercise can have a preventative effect on the development of prostate cancer, there is research to back up the claim that it does.
Prostate cancer has the distinction of being the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, so there has been much focus in recent years on potential preventative measures that individuals might be able to take to lower their risk for developing the disease.
A recent review in the West Virginia Medical Journal examines the evidence to date that exercise can result in an overall improvement in quality of life, which in turn can lead to more favourable outcomes in cancer treatment, and improving cancer survival outcomes.(3)
4. Breast Cancer
While family history and environmental factors remain significant in the development of breast cancer, exercise can go a long way to delaying the onset of the disease and even preventing its development.
A 2011 review found that across studies on exercise and breast cancer prevention, “there was a 25% average risk reduction amongst physically active women as compared to the less active women.”(4)
Even women with mutations in the BRCA-1 gene, which predisposes some women to breast cancer, may be able to delay the onset of the disease with a regular exercise regiment.
5. Lung Cancer
Lung cancer has one of the highest cancer mortality rates world wide, so any means of reducing its impact are definitely important. A 2011 review of recent research in the journal Recent Results In Cancer Research discusses the emerging evidence that physical activity has a role to play in reducing the risk of lung cancer, especially in smokers.
“Several plausible biological factors and mechanisms have been hypothesized linking physical activity to reduced lung cancer risk,” the authors write, “including: improved pulmonary capacity, changes in growth factor levels, and possible gene-physical activity interactions.”(5)
6. Ovarian Cancer
A 2011 review of epidemiological studies of the associations of physical activity with gynaecologic cancers – including ovarian cancer – from the journal Recent Results In Cancer Research found that physical activity, including low-level physical activity like gardening and housework, may reduce one’s risk of developing various gynaecologic cancers.
“There is mounting evidence that sedentary behaviours such as sitting time probably increase risk of endometrial and ovarian cancers,” the review states.
“The biologic evidence provides strong support for a protective role of physical activity on cancer of the endometrium, and moderate support for cancer for the ovaries, as these cancers have a strong hormonal etiology.”(6)
Bottom Line
Obviously there are many health benefits to leading an active lifestyle. But until recently, science hadn’t been able to provide us with hard evidence that cancer prevention was one of those benefits.
Now it’s clear that, while an active lifestyle won’t completely eliminate your risk of all cancers, it does have a role to play in helping prevent or delay the development of some of the most common – and deadly – forms of the disease.