Colon cancer: Exercise as important as drugs in preventing recurrence

According to the World Health Organization (WHO)Trusted Source, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide accounting for 10% of all cancer cases.

Now, a study led by Canadian scientists has found that a structured exercise program following surgery and chemotherapy for colon cancer reduced patients’ chance of cancer recurring by 28% compared with patients given only health advice.

The study, which is published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), also found that structured exercise reduced the risk of death from any cause by 37%.

Experts have said these results suggest exercise could be ‘better than a drug’ at preventing colon cancer recurrence.