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Exercise can slash the risk of cancer patients dying by a third, prevent tumours from returning and is even more effective than drugs, according to groundbreaking trial results that could

revolutionise global health guidelines. For years, adopting a healthy lifestyle has been advocated by medics to reduce cancer risk. However, evidence on its benefits post-diagnosis has been

scant, with little emphasis on integrating exercise into patient care plans. A pioneering trial with participants from the US, UK, Australia, France, Canada, and Israel has now shown that a

regimented exercise programme following treatment can significantly cut the chances of death, recurrence of the disease, or the emergence of new cancers, the Guardian reported. These

findings were unveiled at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (Asco) annual meeting in Chicago, the preeminent cancer conference globally, and were also published in the New England

Journal of Medicine. For the first time, there's irrefutable proof that physical activity outperforms many current medicinal treatments in preventing cancer relapse and mortality, as

stated by one of the leading oncologists in the world. Dr Julie Gralow, Asco's chief medical officer who wasn't part of the ten-year research, praised the study's quality as

the "highest level of evidence", predicting it will cause "a major shift in understanding the importance of encouraging physical activity during and after treatment". A

study has found that patients who followed a structured exercise regime, guided by a personal trainer or health coach after treatment, had a 37% lower risk of death and a 28% lower risk of

cancer recurrence or new cancers developing, compared to those who only received health advice. When asked to contextualise the impact of exercise on cancer patient outcomes, Gralow stated:

"We titled [the session it was presented in] As Good as a Drug. I would have retitled it Better than a Drug, because you don't have all the side-effects." Gralow said the

benefits of exercise were comparable to those of many approved drugs, but without the associated side effects and costs. "It's the same magnitude of benefit of many drugs that get

approved for this kind of magnitude of benefit – 28% decreased risk of occurrence, 37% decreased risk of death. Drugs get approved for less than that, and they're expensive and

they're toxic." Gralow noted that the approach to exercise during cancer treatment has shifted over the years. "When I started three decades ago it was still the era where

we'd be gentle and say, don't overdo yourself when you're on chemo. We've reversed that," she said. "I would say [exercise is] better than a drug." The

trial involved 889 colon cancer patients, with 90% having stage three disease, who were randomly assigned to either a structured exercise program or a healthy lifestyle booklet. Those in the

exercise group worked with a personal trainer for coaching and supervised exercise sessions over a period of three years. Their weekly goal was equivalent to three to four walks lasting

between 45 and 60 minutes, but patients had the freedom to choose their preferred form of activity. Some opted for activities like kayaking or skiing. After five years, those in the exercise

group had a 28% lower risk of recurrent or new cancers compared to those in the other group. After eight years, these same patients also had a 37% lower risk of death than those who were

only given the healthy lifestyle booklet. "After completing surgery and chemotherapy, about 30% of patients with high-risk stage two and stage three colon cancer will eventually

experience recurrence of their disease," said the study's lead author, Dr Christopher Booth, from Queen's University in Kingston, Canada. "As oncologists, one of the most

common questions we get asked by patients is 'what else can I do to improve my outcome?'"These results now provide us with a clear answer: an exercise programme that includes

a personal trainer will reduce the risk of recurrent or new cancer, make you feel better and help you live longer. "Prof Charles Swanton, the chief clinician of Cancer Research UK,

which funded the UK arm of the study, commented: "This fascinating study captures the power of exercise to transform people's health and boost their chances of surviving cancer

after treatment. For an intervention that isn't a drug, exercise offers remarkable benefits for patients. "For some patients, "physical activity can be a gamechanger that

shifts the course of their recovery", added Swanton. "The findings suggest that oncologists should consider recommending a structured exercise programme after surgery to improve

people's chances of survival. "But it's important to remember that exercise isn't the best option for everyone. My advice to cancer patients is to speak to your doctor

before taking on any new physical activity." These results are set to influence global practice, with doctors around the world being encouraged to discuss exercise plans with their

patients post-treatment, according to oncologists in Chicago. While this research only tracked colon cancer patients, Gralow stated there was no reason to believe the findings wouldn't

apply to other types of cancer. Booth suggested trials for other cancers would be necessary, but noted that data from this study indicated lower occurrences of breast and prostate cancer in

the exercise group. "Exercise as an intervention is a no-brainer and should be implemented broadly," said Dr Pamela Kunz, of Yale School of Medicine. Reacting to the results, Prof

Sir Stephen Powis, the national medical director of NHS England, described it as "really exciting" that personalised exercise following treatment could be

"life-changing". "These landmark findings suggest that focused steps to exercise, from walks to workouts, could help turbocharge the body's ability to prevent cancer

returning after treatment and help save more lives." Being more active can have significant benefits in helping maintain a healthy weight, strengthen the immune system, re. duce

inflammation and lift mood – and it's now really encouraging to see that exercise really could have the power to help more people survive cancer. ".