Prostate cancer is the most common tumor among men in Spain. Age is the main risk factor. In fact, nearly two out of three cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed in men over the age of 65. We cannot stop the passage of years, but it is in our power to adopt lifestyle habits that contribute to prevention. Now, a new study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (BMJ), indicates that a greater ability to perform aerobic exercise is linked to a lower likelihood of developing this disease. More specifically, an annual increase of more than 3% in cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with a 35% reduction in prostate cancer risk. These results led researchers to conclude that men should be encouraged to improve their physical fitness to reduce their chances of suffering from the disease. There are relatively few known risk factors for prostate cancer, the researchers note. And while there is good evidence for the beneficial effects of physical activity on the risk of several types of cancer, the associations with prostate cancer are less clear. The researchers wanted to know whether improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness over time could influence these risks, working from a national occupational health profile assessment database. The database collected information on physical activity, lifestyle, perceived health, measurements of body mass and height, and the results of at least two cardiorespiratory fitness tests, measured while pedaling a stationary bicycle, among 57,652 men out of a total of 181,673. Annual measures of cardiorespiratory fitness were expressed in absolute and relative maximum V02 (the amount (volume) of oxygen that the body uses during exercise). ‘an exercise as intense as possible) and were divided into groups according to whether they increased annually by more than 3%, decreased by more than 3%. greater than 3%, or remained stable. And to evaluate whether the evolution of physical fitness on the risk of prostate cancer varied according to the initial state, 3 groups of equal size of cardiorespiratory fitness were created: low, moderate and high. MORE INFORMATION news No exercise protects against 9 types of cancer For the incidence analysis, all participants were followed from the date of the last assessment until the date of their prostate cancer diagnosis, or of death whatever the cause, or until December 31. 2019, whichever comes first. Over an average period of almost 7 years, 592 men (1% of the total sample) were diagnosed with prostate cancer and 46 (0.08%) died from their disease. An annual percentage increase in absolute cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with a 2% lower risk of prostate cancer, after accounting for potentially influential factors such as age, education level, year of test, weight (BMI) and smoking. When participants were grouped according to whether their cardiorespiratory fitness increased, remained stable, or decreased, those whose fitness improved by 3% or more per year were 35% less likely to develop prostate cancer than those whose physical condition had declined, after taking into account potentially influential factors. When participants were grouped based on their cardiorespiratory fitness at their first assessment, the association between physical fitness and a reduction in prostate cancer risk was only statistically significant (15% lower) for those with a moderate level of fitness at the start. This is an observational study and, as such, cannot establish causal factors, aside from the fact that genetic factors play an important role in both a person’s cardiorespiratory fitness and the risk of cancer, emphasize the researchers. However, they conclude: “The results highlight the importance of cardiorespiratory fitness for prostate cancer risk, which has been difficult to determine with single studies. “Improving cardiorespiratory fitness in adult men should be encouraged and could reduce the risk of prostate cancer. » Exercise to prevent Tobacco, alcohol, physical inactivity, inadequate diet and infections remain the most important and preventable risk factors linked to cancer in general. This year the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) focused on the importance of physical exercise to prevent, treat and avoid cancer relapses. Physical activity can reduce the risk of breast, colon, bladder, endometrial, esophageal and stomach cancer by up to 30%, and the risk of disease-specific mortality. cancer by almost 20%. The strongest data to date focuses on breast cancer and colorectal cancer, but this benefit extends to other tumors such as prostate and lung cancer. In addition, physical exercise has been shown to improve quality of life and reduce treatment-related side effects, by increasing patients’ cardiorespiratory capacity and reducing fatigue.
