New research suggests that doctors should prescribe yoga to cancer patients to prevent the disease from spreading or returning.
It was discovered that two sessions per week substantially reduced inflammation, which is known to promote cancer growth.
The study implies that ‘gentle’ exercise can also lower cancer severity and spread.
Experts say doctors now prefer action over relaxation for recuperation.
A distinct study presented at the world’s largest cancer conference revealed that elderly cancer patients who remained physically active reduced their risk of death by nearly 18 percent.
Those who walked 30 minutes per day or continued to perform basic tasks such as carrying shopping bags or digging the garden had the greatest chance of survival, according to the study.
Both studies contribute to the growing body of evidence that exercise can aid cancer patients, say experts.
Yoga is known to have anti-inflammatory effects, so researchers from the University of Rochester Medical Centre in New York sought to determine if cancer survivors could benefit from yoga.
Karen Mustian, the project’s lead researcher, has been investigating the effects of yoga on treatment toxicity and side effects in cancer patients for the past two decades, “back when there were no yoga studios on every corner.” In this study of 502 cancer survivors, approximately fifty percent participated in 75-minute sessions twice per week for four weeks.
Inflammation blood testing at the beginning and end of the month showed that the patients had much fewer stress indicators.
She stated that yoga reduced inflammatory chemicals as the main take-home message.
“Over the past two decades, we’ve progressed beyond the question of whether we should encourage traditional exercises like yoga and tai chi for patients. The answer is affirmative.
“The question now is precisely what should we do? I believe that if you work in the health and fitness industry, you believe it should become a lifestyle. But from a medical standpoint, you want to know what the minimum quantity of effective exercise is.
Inflammation must alert the immune system to send white blood cells and chemicals to combat infection or heal.
However, chronic inflammation can harm healthy cells and tissue and weaken the immune system.
The findings, which were presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago, imply that eight yoga sessions may be sufficient to make a significant difference.
They conclude that yoga substantially reduces inflammation among cancer survivors based on their findings.
‘Clinicians should consider prescribing yoga to cancer survivors suffering from inflammation. Which may contribute to a high chronic toxicity burden and an increased risk of progression, recurrence, and second cancers.’
A sedentary lifestyle raised death risk in 2,692 Brazilian cancer patients over 60.
The research, which included individuals with the most common types of cancer – prostate, breast, gut, and lung – found that inactive people were 28% more likely to die within six months of their diagnosis.
Patients were ranked according to their activity levels, with ‘active’ defined as a minimum of five 30-minute walks per week.
After 180 days, 90% of active participants survived, compared to 74% of sedentary participants.
Dr. Jurema Telles de Oliveira Lima of the Instituto de Medicina Integral Professor Fernando Figueira in Brazil, who conducted the study, stated that exercise slows down age-related processes such as cell degeneration and DNA mutations.
She stated, “Today’s lifestyle accounts for 30 to 40 percent of cancer cases.”
Thus, differing lifestyles would minimise cancer and mortality, according to our findings.
We can’t control cancer, but we can influence how we react to therapy.
Melissa Hudson, a prominent expert on cancer survival from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, stated that both demonstrate the importance of patients remaining active during treatment.
Tai chi or yoga can help “reintegrate back into physical activity if you’re extremely intimidated by it.”
She stated, “I do believe that more and more people are becoming aware that we must begin sending these messages earlier on – that they can be physically active and tolerate it.”
Given their symptoms, oncologists should counsel patients to exercise as much as they can.
