Boosting Colon Cancer Survival Rates: How Regular Exercise Compares to the General Population

Physical activity may play a crucial role in helping colon cancer survivors achieve long-term survival rates comparable to those seen in the general population, according to a recent study published by Wiley online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. Individuals diagnosed with colon cancer often experience higher rates of premature mortality compared to people without cancer who are similar in age and sex.

To determine whether exercise could reduce this disparity, researchers analyzed data from two posttreatment trials involving 2,875 patients who had undergone surgery and chemotherapy for stage 3 colon cancer. The studies also included health information on a matched general population from the National Center for Health Statistics. Physical activity was assessed based on metabolic equivalent (MET) hours per week, with health guidelines recommending at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly, which is roughly equivalent to about 8 MET-hours.

In the first trial, CALGB 89803, for patients who were alive three years post-treatment:

• Those with less than 3.0 MET-hours/week had a subsequent three-year overall survival rate that was 17.1% lower compared to the matched general population.
• Patients achieving at least 18.0 MET-hours/week experienced only a 3.5% lower survival rate relative to their cancer-free peers.

In the second trial, CALGB 80702:

• Survivors with less than 3.0 and at least 18.0 MET-hours/week had a three-year overall survival rate that was approximately 10.8% and 4.4% lower, respectively, compared to the matched general population.

In an analysis combining data from both trials:

• Among the 1,908 patients who were alive without cancer recurrence by year three,
• Those with less than 3.0 MET-hours/week had a survival rate that was slightly lower by 3.1% compared to the general population.
• Patients achieving at least 18.0 MET-hours/week had a survival rate that was significantly higher, about 2.9%, when matched against those without cancer.

This study underscores the importance of physical activity for colon cancer survivors and highlights how factors within their control—such as exercise levels—affect long-term outcomes. The findings can assist patients with colon cancer in understanding the tangible impact that lifestyle choices have on their prognosis, informing healthcare providers, policymakers, and public health professionals about strategies to improve overall survival rates.

“Quantifying how physical activity may enable a patient with colon cancer to achieve similar survival experiences as their friends and family without cancer could be an effective way to promote healthy lifestyles,” stated Justin C. Brown, PhD, the lead author of this study from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center and Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.