Is there enough information on exercise and cancer risk to start applying that information clinically?
Clinical trials have not been done to test what specific types of exercise will reduce cancer risk or improve the prognosis of those with cancer. But there is sufficient evidence to suggest that exercise is likely to be beneficial for cancer. In addition, there is extensive evidence on exercise’s benefits for other disease end points, such as heart disease or diabetes. The general health recommendations for regular activity apply to everyone, including people at high risk for cancer or those living with cancer. We can now say that, in addition to the evidence of a benefit for health problems such as high blood pressure and heart disease, there is some evidence that exercise can improve cancer outcomes. What kind of activity appears to confer the most benefit? Unlike with some other disease end points, we don’t have specific information on what types of exercise are more beneficial for different cancers. For example, we know that aerobic exercise has a proven benefit for reducing heart
