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Exercise Like Brisk Walking Can Improve Survival Rates Of Men With Prostate Cancer

Jan 28, 2014 by TacticularCancer.com

A recent study has suggested that the survival rates of prostate cancer sufferers can be boosted by exercise – something as basic as brisk walking.

Previous research had already shown that men with prostate cancer who engaged in physical activity were less likely to die from the disease and to suffer relapses as compared to those who did not exercise. And in this recent study, the research team discovered that men who walked at a fast pace before they were diagnosed with prostate cancer had tumors which had bigger and more regularly shaped blood vessels – and this, the researchers believed, could help reduce the aggressiveness of the cancer as well as improve responsiveness to treatments.

“Prior research has shown that men with prostate tumours containing more regularly shaped blood vessels have a more favourable prognosis compared with men with prostate tumours containing mostly irregularly shaped blood vessels. In this study, we found that men who reported walking at a brisk pace had more regularly shaped blood vessels in their prostate tumors compared with men who reported walking at a less brisk pace.” said Dr Erin Van Blarigan from the University of California at San Francisco, who led the study.

The study had looked at data of 572 prostate cancer sufferers who had taken part in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Findings of the study revealed that men who walked the fastest – from 3.3 to 5.0 miles per hour – before diagnosis had tumor blood vessels which were 8% more regularly shaped than those who walked the slowest – from 1.5 to 2.5 miles per hour.

Although more research into the exact technical mechanisms would be needed, Dr Van Blarigan felt that the team’s findings “supports the growing evidence of the benefits of exercise, such as brisk walking, for men with prostate cancer.”