Does exercise reduce breast cancer risk?
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Dr. Michael Roizen answered:The incidence of breast cancer is more than one third lower for women who exercise regularly than those who do not exercise regularly. Studies from Norway, Japan, Canada, and the United States found that women who exercised were 20 to 44 percent less likely to get breast cancer. Some scientists hypothesize that women who exercise more have lower fat stores and, hence, less long-term exposure to impurities stored in fat cells, less storage (in fat) of compounds that stimulate estrogen receptors, and less inflammation. Others hypothesize that endurance training helps increase the number of immune system cells that are known to kill off potential cancer cells and reduce inflammation. And again, in studies of Breast cancer risk, even non-intense exercise has relatively immediate and long-lasting benefits. In a Los Angeles study, woman who did any physical activity, even 20 minutes of walking daily, had a 38 percent lowered risk of early stage breast cancer.
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The incidence of breast cancer is more than one third lower for women who exercise regularly than those who do not exercise regularly. Studies from Norway, Japan, Canada, and the United States found that women who exercised were 20 to 44... More -
Dr. Janelle Sanda of Sanford Health answered:You know that exercise is good for the waistline and the heart. In this video, Dr. Janelle Sanda talks about activity's potentially life-saving bonus for women worried about breast cancer.
Helpful? 2 people found this helpful
You know that exercise is good for the waistline and the heart. In this video, Dr. Janelle Sanda talks about activity's potentially life-saving bonus for women worried about breast cancer. More -
Dr. Patrick Maguire answered:Several major studies have evaluated the role of physical activity and breast cancer prevention. The first was the Nurses' Health Study, which enrolled thousands of women 30 to 55 years old in Massachusetts beginning in the late 1970s. These women were followed over decades and given questionnaires about various aspects of their life, including their amount and type of physical activity. Among those enrolled and followed over 16 years, more than 3,000 women developed breast cancer. The investigators found that women who reported moderate to vigorous physical activity for seven or more hours per week had a significantly decreased risk of breast cancer (about 20% less) than women who reported less than one hour of the same type of activity. A couple of smaller European studies confirmed more of a benefit to moderate or vigorous activity over light activity. In one of these studies, the protective effect for exercise appeared to be independent of family history, menopausal status, or body mass index.
Many researchers have investigated whether there's a dose-response to the protective effect of exercise against the risk of breast or other cancer types. In other words, is a lot of exercise better than a little? When they performed a massive analysis of 34 case-control studies and 28 cohort studies that had been published in the medical literature, two Canadian researchers found that 47 of the 62 studies (76%) showed a decrease in breast cancer risk associated with increased physical activity. Among the 33 studies that evaluated for dose-response (whether more exercise was better), 28 studies (85%) came to the conclusion that it was.
Helpful? 1 person found this helpfulSeveral major studies have evaluated the role of physical activity and breast cancer prevention. The first was the Nurses' Health Study, which enrolled thousands of women 30 to 55 years old in Massachusetts beginning in the late 1970s. These women... More
