Can Individuals With Prostate Cancer Benefit from Following an Exercise Regimen?

Exercise could be soon prescribed as a potential treatment for people with prostate cancer if the current experimental study backed by Cancer Research UK works.

The trial conducted by Sheffield Hallam University will analyze whether regular exercise can be prescribed as a substitute for conventional treatment if the disease is caught early enough.

 Researchers will divide 50 men with prostate cancer into two groups, where the 25 men in the first group will be prescribed rigorous weekly exercise training while the other 25 will only be given information about the benefits of exercise for cancer patients.

They will monitor high levels of PSA, a protein produced by prostate cells, in the bloodstream that can be a sign of cancer.

Dr Liam Bourk, lead researcher, said, "Evidence suggests that men who are physically active after a prostate cancer diagnosis have better cancer survival than men who aren't active. It's not clear yet how this works, but it might be that exercise affects the way some genes regulate cancer cell growth and DNA repair. If we show it works and is feasible, it could be a real leap forward for cancer patients."