A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has examined the effect of physical activity on recurrence in patients previously treated for colorectal cancer. The study, which was published in the journal Cancer, found that physical activity was associated with a lower risk of recurrence in these patients.
The study included 1,845 patients who had been treated for colorectal cancer between 2000 and 2011. The researchers followed up with the patients for an average of 5.5 years. During this time, the researchers assessed the patients’ physical activity levels and monitored for recurrence of the cancer.
The results of the study showed that patients who engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity had a lower risk of recurrence than those who did not. Specifically, the risk of recurrence was reduced by 24% in those who engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity.
The researchers also found that the risk of recurrence was further reduced in those who engaged in more physical activity. Specifically, those who engaged in more than 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week had a 33% lower risk of recurrence than those who did not engage in any physical activity.
The researchers concluded that physical activity is associated with a lower risk of recurrence in patients previously treated for colorectal cancer. They suggest that physical activity should be encouraged in these patients as a way to reduce their risk of recurrence.
The findings of this study are important as they suggest that physical activity may be an effective way to reduce the risk of recurrence in patients previously treated for colorectal cancer. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and to determine the optimal amount of physical activity for these patients.