Prescribing exercise as an actual treatment for cancer — not just for symptoms or side-effects — has taken a big step forward, thanks to a landmark international study co-ledby a University of Alberta researcher.
The European Society for Medical Oncology has updated its clinical practice guidelines to formally recommend tailored exercise as part of the standard of care for patients being treated for stages 2 and 3 colon cancer.
“As far as we know, this is the first time that a non-medical intervention has been included in a treatment flow diagram by any clinical oncology group that provides practice guidelines,” says Kerry Courneya, professor and Canada Research Chair in Physical Activity and Cancer in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation.
“This step helps transform exercise from a quality-of-life intervention to an essential treatment for colon cancer, alongside chemotherapy or radiation therapy.”
The recommendation is based on robust evidence drawn from the Canadian Cancer Trials Group CO21 Challenge trial, a 17-year study that was the first of its kind to prove conclusively that physical activity can improve cancer survival.
The study recruited 889 colon cancer patients who had received chemotherapy for Stage 3 or high-risk Stage 2 colon cancer, to see whether a structured exercise program improved their survival. Half the group received standard health information; the other half worked with physiotherapists or kinesiologists to add 2.5 hours of moderate weekly exercise over three years.
The findings revealed a significant improvement in overall survival and disease-free survival rates among the participants who were offered a structured exercise program. They had a 37 per cent lower risk of death and a 28 per cent lower risk of recurrence or developing another type of cancer.
The updated treatment guidelines announced by the European Society for Medical Oncology explain how physical exercise can benefit people with Stage 2 or 3 colon cancer, and recommend that eligible patients take part in organized exercise programs. The guidelines also use a standardized scoring system to show the strength of the evidence supporting these activities.
The update to the guidelines sends an important message, Courneya believes.
“It means all oncology teams should be discussing exercise as a treatment for colon cancer with all eligible patients. Every patient diagnosed with Stage 2 or Stage 3 colon cancer should be informed about the important role of exercise in the treatment of their disease, and hopefully provided with a structured program to support their exercise efforts.”
“We’re hopeful that other cancer care organizations will soon follow with similar recommendations.”