[Physical activity in prevention and treatment of colon cancer]

Przegl Lek. 2013;70(11):969-72.
[Article in Polish]

Abstract

Colon cancer is currently the third most common cancer disease in men and second in women. Physical exercise of sufficient intensity and duration reduces the risk of colon cancer by as much as 30-50%. Despite many studies the mechanism of this phenomenon remains unclear. However it is known, to be caused by coexistence of various factors. The control of energy balance, body weight and insulin resistance seems to be most important. Myokines also play a very important role. Among them: SPARC that causes inhibition of proliferation and apoptosis and anti-inflammatory cytokines. In addition, physical activity exerts local anti-inflammatory effect by decreased expression of COX-2 and iNOS in the colon mucosa. Physical exercise also improves survival rates after treatment of colon cancer. But it seems that better prognosis is only observed in selected group of patients diagnosed with specific biomarkers of cancer cells. Despite beneficial effects of physical activity, awareness of this fact is very low.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Apoptosis / physiology
  • Colonic Neoplasms / mortality
  • Colonic Neoplasms / physiopathology*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / prevention & control*
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Energy Metabolism
  • Exercise*
  • Humans
  • Intestinal Mucosa / metabolism
  • Prognosis
  • Risk Factors
  • Survival Rate

Substances

  • Cytokines