On December 1st, we had Dr. Kerry Courneya (Professor, Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at University of Alberta) give a talk to our AS group titled “Exercise After Prostate Cancer: Active Surveillance and Beyond”
Dr. Courneya had one message: Don’t take your cancer laying down.
He maintained that research has shown “exercise is the single most important thing” a cancer patient can do—even more important than diet.
His research has shown patients with prostate cancer (low-risk to high-risk), lymphatic cancer, and other cancers benefit from exercise.
The most recent study by his group in Edmonton, appearing in JAMA Oncology, showed for the first time that High Impact Intensity Training–bursts of exercise rather than a continuous approach—can help suppress the growth of prostate cancer cells in men on active surveillance. (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2783273)
The ERASE study was the first randomized controlled trial to examine the effects of exercise in men with prostate cancer on AS.
There’s more to the exercise story than suppressing prostate cancer. The biggest risk to men with low-risk prostate cancer is heart disease. The study showed that not only does exercise suppress prostate cancer cells but it also helps with cardiac measures.
He said also exercise relieves anxiety and depression, helping men stay on AS longer.
“Exercise is a win-win.” he said.
Short exercise videos can also be found on Pfizer’s site “This Is Living With Cancer” .
Watch here:
To view the slides from this presentation, click here.
For information on our peer-led video chat ACTIVE SURVEILLANCE PROSTATE CANCER VIRTUAL SUPPORT GROUP, click here.
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