High-intensity aerobic exercise can reduce the risk of metastatic cancer by 72%

High-intensity aerobic exercise can reduce the risk of metastatic cancer by 72%

A new study from Tel Aviv University found that aerobic exercise can reduce the risk of metastatic cancer by 72%. According to the researchers, intense aerobic exercise increases glucose (sugar) consumption by internal organs, thereby reducing the availability of energy to the tumor.
The study was led by two researchers from TAU's Sackler School of Medicine: Prof. Carmit Levy of the Department of Human Genetics and Biochemistry and Dr. Yftach Gepner from the School of Public Health and the Sylvan Adams Sports Institute. Prof. Levy emphasizes that by combining scientific know-how from different schools at TAU, the new study has led to a very important discovery that can help prevent metastatic cancer - the leading cause of death in Israel. The paper was published in the prestigious journal Cancer Research and was selected for the cover of the November 2022 issue.

Studies have shown that exercise reduces the risk of some types of cancer by up to 35%. This positive effect is similar to the influence of exercise on other diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. In this study, we added new evidence showing that high-intensity aerobic exercise, which gets its energy from sugar, can reduce the risk of metastatic cancer by up to 72%. If the general message to the public has been 'Be active, be healthy,' we can now explain how aerobic activity can maximize prevention of the most aggressive and metastatic cancers."

Prof. Levy and Dr. Gepner

The study combined an animal model in which mice were trained under a rigorous exercise program with data from healthy human volunteers examined before and after running. The human data, drawn from an epidemiological study that monitored 3,000 people for about 20 years, showed 72% fewer metastatic cancers in participants who reported regular, high-intensity aerobic activity compared to those who did not exercise.

The animal model showed a similar result, which also allowed the researchers to identify the underlying mechanism. They examined the physically fit animals' internal organs before and after exercise and also after cancer injection and found that aerobic activity significantly reduced the development of metastatic tumors in lymph nodes, lungs and liver. The researchers hypothesized that this favorable outcome in both humans and model animals is related to the increased rate of glucose consumption induced by exercise.

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Prof. Levy: "Our study is the first to examine the effects of exercise on the internal organs where metastases usually develop, such as the lungs, liver and lymph nodes. When examining the cells of these organs, we noticed an increase in the number of glucose receptors during high-intensity aerobic activity - increasing glucose uptake and turning the organs into effective energy-consuming machines, much like the muscles. We hypothesize that this happens because the organs with the muscles that are known for this are busy To burn, compete for sugar resources, amounts of glucose during physical activity.Consequently, the fierce competition for glucose in the case of cancer reduces the availability of energy, which is crucial for metastasis.In addition, with regular physical activity, this condition becomes permanent: the tissue of the internal organs changes and becomes similar to muscle tissue. We all know that sport and exercise are good for our health, as our study examining the internal organs found red, that exercise changes the whole body so that the cancer cannot spread and also the Primary tumor shrinks.”

Dr. Gepner adds: "Our results show that, unlike fat burning exercises, which are relatively moderate, it is a high-intensity aerobic activity that contributes to cancer prevention. If the optimal intensity range for fat burning is 65-70% maximum heart rate, sugar burning requires 80-85% - even if only for short intervals, for example: sprint for a minute, then walk, then sprint again, previously such intervals were usually typical for the training program of athletes, but today we also see them in other exercise routines such as cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation. Our results suggest that healthy people should also include high-intensity components in their fitness programs. We believe that future studies will enable personalized medicine for the prevention of certain types of cancer to recommend the right type of physical activity. It must be emphasized that physical exercise, with its unique metabolic and physiological effects, shows a higher level of cancer prevention than any medication or any medical intervention so far.”

Source:

Tel Aviv University

Reference:

Sheinboim, D., et al. (2022) An exercise-induced metabolic shield in distant organs blocks cancer progression and metastatic spread. Cancer research. doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-0237.

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