Three-Year Exercise Program Boosts Survival and Reduces Recurrence in Colon Cancer Patients, Study Finds

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A groundbreaking international study has revealed that a structured three-year exercise program significantly improves survival rates and reduces cancer recurrence among colon cancer patients. The large-scale clinical trial, conducted across five countries, is the first randomized controlled trial to prove that physical activity can directly enhance long-term outcomes in cancer survivors.

The research followed 889 patients with treatable colon cancer who had completed chemotherapy. Participants were randomly assigned to either receive an educational booklet on fitness and nutrition or take part in a personalized exercise coaching program. Those in the coaching group met with a fitness coach biweekly for the first year and monthly for the following two years. Coaches helped patients incorporate consistent physical activity into their routines, with many choosing moderate activities like walking 45 minutes several times per week.

After eight years of follow-up, the study found that participants in the exercise coaching group experienced 28% fewer cancer recurrences and 37% fewer deaths from any cause compared to those in the control group. Though muscle strains and minor injuries were slightly more common in the active group, the overall health benefits far outweighed the risks.

“This is something I could do for myself to make me feel better,” said Terri Swain-Collins, 62, from Kingston, Ontario, one of the study participants. The regular accountability from her coach, she said, kept her motivated. “I wouldn’t want to go there and say, ‘I didn’t do anything,’ so I was always doing stuff and making sure I got it done.”

Researchers say the results rival the benefits seen from some cancer drugs but come at a fraction of the cost. “It’s a remarkably affordable intervention that will make people feel better, have fewer cancer recurrences and help them live longer,” said study co-author Dr. Christopher Booth of Kingston Health Sciences Centre.

The trial, funded by academic research groups in Canada, the U.K., and Australia, was conducted in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, and Australia. It provides the highest level of clinical evidence to date, surpassing previous observational studies that could not prove causality.

“When we saw the results, we were just astounded,” Booth added. Fellow researchers, including Dr. Julie Gralow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, praised the study’s design and findings. “This is about as high a quality of evidence as you can get,” she said.

Dr. Kerry Courneya, a co-author and exercise-oncology expert at the University of Alberta, noted that behavior change in patients is sustainable when individuals understand the benefits, enjoy the activity, and receive social support. “Now we can say definitively exercise causes improvements in survival,” he said.

The researchers have also collected blood samples from participants to investigate the biological mechanisms behind exercise’s cancer-fighting effects, including insulin regulation and immune system support.

Although the coaching program has ended for Swain-Collins, she continues her regular walks near her home while listening to music—an enduring lifestyle change inspired by the study.

Experts are now urging cancer centers and insurance providers to consider integrating structured exercise coaching into standard post-treatment care for colon cancer patients.