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Exercise Oncology...what say you?
Prostate Cancer | Last Active: Aug 10 4:35pm | Replies (77)Comment receiving replies
Although not as robust as the ERASE RCT, two large observational studies looked af walking and it’s correlation to slowing PCa progression.
The Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor (CaPSURE) Study (2011) and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (2011) are worth reviewing if interested.
Links below:
https://aacrjournals.org/cancerres/article/71/11/3889/657469/Physical-Activity-after-Diagnosis-and-Risk-of
https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.2010.31.5226
Walking briskly for at least 3 hours per week appears to offer significant benefits, with a 57% lower progression rate in the CaPSURE study. Longer durations (e.g., ≥7 hours/week) at a brisk pace may further reduce risk.
Both studies consistently highlighted that brisk walking (≥3 mph) is more strongly associated with reduced prostate cancer progression than duration alone.
For example, the CaPSURE study found that walking duration without a brisk pace did not significantly reduce progression risk.
This suggests that intensity is a key factor, and simply increasing walking time at a leisurely pace may not yield the same benefits, if slowing progression is your goal.
Light, long duration walking may have other non PCa benefits; but these studies suggest that slowing PCa progression is not one of them.
Replies to "Although not as robust as the ERASE RCT, two large observational studies looked af walking and..."
I certainly can add more brisk walking to my exercise regimen… I already walk my dog multiple times a day… It would be easy to walk a mile or 2 at the health club after my lap swimming…
Thanks for the additional info..
Fair enough. I do what my body will let me. Given that the T3 spinal compression seriously damaged my sympathetic nervous system, intense exercise will never be an option for me again (my body can't cool itself properly any more, and I will faint if I overheat); it's kind-of a miracle that I can even walk and ride a bicycle again. My primary goal is to slow cancer progression, and Orgovyx and Erleada are doing an excellent job of that (the cancer has actually been stopped cold for almost 4 years). My secondary goal is to manage the side effects well and avoid co-morbidities like diabetes, bone-density/muscle loss, fatigue, heart disease, etc., and a healthy diet, moderate exercise, and resistance training are doing a great job of that.
There's no silver bullet — all of our bodies have different capabilities and responses — but systemic therapy (ADT+ARSI) together with lifestyle adjustments and early/aggressive treatment (I had debulking surgery to my spinal metastasis and radiation to both my spine and the prostate) are yielding huge improvements in long term survival for those of us with stage 4.
I’m not comfortable or confident enough to go on long walks because of the radiation induced diarrhea. Hope it goes away when I finish treatment.
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High intensity exercise has been linked to many cellular changes - increased mitochondria, elongated telomeres, etc…
But many PCa patients simply lack the ability - physically- to perform at these higher levels. Disability, age, arthritis, spinal issues all limit ones ability to take moderate exercise to the next level- SIMPLY CAN’T BE DONE!
Lucky are the few who can physically transform themselves in their mid 60’s and upward. Even luckier are those whose PCa is caught at a very early stage and can be monitored via AS. That wake-up call, combined with a body not yet debilitated by age or disability, gives them the unique chance to attempt to halt the progression of their PCa.
But we must never forget how clever these rogue cells are, and their ability to adapt to any change in their environment makes them a constant threat regardless of levels of PSA.
Phil