How exercise boosts the body’s ability toprevent cancer
Forty-five minutes of intense exercise three times a week may reduce cancer risk in patients with Lynch syndrome, a genetic condition that can lead to cancer at a young age.
This was the conclusion of a small study (just 21 people), but it builds on a vast body of evidence linking regular exercise to a decreased risk of cancer, particularly colorectal cancer. But these researchers went a step further, investigating exactly how exercise might lower cancer risk.
All 21 people in the study had Lynch syndrome, and they were divided into two groups. One was given a 12-month exercise program; the other was not. The scientists checked their cardio and respiratory fitness and tracked immune cells – natural killer cells and CD8+ T cells – in the blood and colon tissues.
People in the exercise group saw a drop in levels of the inflammatory marker prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). The drop was closely linked to the increase in immune cells. Both changes suggest a stronger immune response.
The researchers believe the changes relate to a boost in the body’s “immune surveillance” system for hunting down and clearing out cells that would otherwise become cancerous.
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