For Prostate Cancer Survivors, Exercise is Medicine
Christina Dieli-Conwright, PhD, MPH
Harvard: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
What this means for patients: Dr. Dieli-Conwright has shown that exercise significantly benefits patients with prostate cancer, including improving fitness and quality of life, reducing obesity and other metabolic problems, and reducing muscle wasting. Exercise is a key “prescription” for better outcomes.
The use of exercise to enhance the lives of people diagnosed with cancer dates back 100 years, when doctors noticed an inverse relationship between cancer mortality and “muscular work.” The field of exercise oncology has gained ground, especially in the last 10 years, as studies verified the many health benefits linked to consistent exercise. Much like diet, exercise is known to improve physical and mental quality of life for everyone, with very probable additional benefits to patients with prostate cancer. Today, exercise guidelines have been established for cancer survivorship, and include both aerobic and resistance exercise.
Dr. Dieli-Conwright reported on several clinical trials of exercise in patients with prostate cancer, especially among those undergoing ADT. Exercise interventions had multiple health benefits, including reduced waist circumference, greater lean mass, and improved fitness. Patients on active surveillance participating in high-intensity interval training had lower PSA levels and slower rise in PSA. Obese men saw improvements, such as a lower chance of developing type 2 diabetes. Overall, exercise should be considered paramount for patients seeking to optimize their health and quality of life during and after treatment. Future studies will help identify the most effective exercise “prescriptions” for prostate cancer survivors."
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I am doing 10,000 steps in t g e evening 3 times a week at Jones Beach, Long Island NY. It take 90 minutes. I trying walk fast, but not easy. I am age of 62 under ADT bicalutamide mono and no lupron. Exercise could be my last resort. I hope exercise kill cancer cells.
Hi, I was diagnosed stage 4 Gleason 9 with metts to bones and lymph nodes and have been using exercise to keep fit and healthy. Despite being on adt for over 6 1/2 years I’m still here still fit and still strong. I’ve just finished 10 rounds of Cabazitaxel and exercise carried me through it all.
Most guys know that exercise is the most important thing we have that is in our control for overall health, fighting Pca and every side effect and consequence of its treatments.
Weight training, cardiovascular, balance and mobility all important.
The problem is relatively few of us do it, or not nearly enough of it. Studies show percentages so low it’s downright sad. Especially considering how much prattle there is about fancy diets and endless combinations of supplements, which can help but pale by comparison head to head.
Exercise requires effort. Effort we don’t feel like putting in when we’re older, tired, suffering treatment side effects, injuries etc. Nothing could be more obvious.
However, every man will tell you when they put that effort in instead of napping, procrastinating and making excuses they feel transformed and are crazy glad they did.
Each and every time. If only it were easier.
Answers to posts like yours Scout will invariably be from fit guys describing all the good exercise they’re getting, and the positive results. God bless us all, but I don’t know that any of it is going to get the couch potatoes up and moving.
Diagnosed 5 years ago with metastatic PCa (lymph nodes), currently on Orgovyx but I'm training to hike the John Muir Trail in July (NOBO). My training consists of 4 days of running, 1 day of hiking the Incline (2000ft up pikes peak) every Wednesday, plus core and pushups 1-2 times/week. I've lost 7 lbs since march when I started training, but need to drop another 5 prior to the trip. Without exercise, which I've done my whole life, this disease would have beaten me down that I would likely have given up. Exercise may delay or prevent my PCa from spreading, but I feel the real benefit is my mental well being. Keep the faith!
Why don't we simplify this conversation once and for all and state that exercise and controlling our weight is always beneficial for everyone, pc patient or not. Or say that exercise and weight control are not detrimental to pc outcomes but are beneficial as usual. Not smoking, not drinking excessively, not snorting fentanyl, not driving 120 mph in a 30 mph speed zone, etc. are all good things to do also, so maybe we should include these recommendations for pc patients also. It seems like we are just arguing whether it is better to exercise and control our weight or not, when it almost always is. 🤔
For your health you forgot the major "NOT". Do NOT cheat on your wife. Note; If she should catch you with some other woman in your bed, just explain to her that "you're the twin brother that you never told her about".
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