Posted on 08/04/2025 7:21:06 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
A new study shows that regular exercise may do more than help colon cancer patients feel better—it may actually change gene activity in both tumors and surrounding fat tissue.
Says Vicky Bandera, "We're seeing early indications that exercise might actually change how cancer behaves at a molecular level."
Bandera, who studied exercise oncology, was driven by a simple question: Could movement change not just how patients feel, but what characteristics a growing tumor develops?
"Seeing patients struggle with side effects pushed me to study how we can leverage something as accessible as exercise," she says. "More work needs to be done to catch up with what we are seeing in improved survivorship—and that's only possible through continued investment in cancer research."
The research team analyzed tumor and visceral adipose tissue (VAT)—a type of fat deep in the abdomen—from 112 patients with stage 1–3 colon cancer. Participants were classified as either:
—Active: exercising at least 150 minutes per week (moderate to vigorous activity)
—Inactive: exercising less than 1 hour per week
Using RNA sequencing, the researchers compared gene expression in tumors and fat tissue between groups to see how physical activity might affect their biology.
In tumors of active patients:
—Genes tied to cancer progression (angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition) were less active.
—Genes involved in energy production (oxidative phosphorylation) were also less active—a potential sign of altered tumor metabolism. In fat tissue of active patients:
—Genes related to metabolism (fatty acid breakdown, glycolysis) were more active, suggesting that exercise may reshape not just the tumor, but also other tissues nearby.
"What's amazing is that even the deep fat next to the tumor may be influenced by exercise," explains Bandera. "It's not just about losing weight—this suggests your internal biology may be changing in ways that could reduce cancer aggressiveness."
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
Bkmk
I have been doing 23 minutes fast walk on treadmill for 8 years, 7 days a week. It has cured my high blood pressure, reduced A1C in normal range below 6, chest pains are gone, no cancer diagnosis, and can’t even feel heart thumping anymore which is a sign of healthy heart. Age 85.
Just restarted riding the exerbike 30 minutes at a time whilst recovering from a few rounds of chemo - sounds good.
My father-in-law stayed trim, ate healthy, exercised regularly (e.g. rode bicycle to work . . . in Northern Alberta), but his family tree was riddled with colon cancer.
He died from it at 53.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=stand+on+stake+chi+kung ......... stand on stake chi kung. Will make you sweat.
Plenty of athletic types get cancer. Though probably their numbers are better than sedentary people and junk food junkies.
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