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- Title
Biological mechanisms linking exercise and cancer.
- Authors
Joonyoung Lee; Wan, Bo Angela; Malek, Leila; Lim, Fiona; Lam, Henry; Silva, Maurício F.; Lee, Daniel
- Abstract
Cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and with an aging population, its management will become increasingly important for healthcare. Many epidemiological studies have found that exercise and physical activity are associated with lowered incidences of cancers, as well as improvements in cancer outcomes. However, the biological mechanisms underlying these are only beginning to be elucidated. One of these mechanisms is adiposity and inflammation, in which adipose tissues produce proinflammatory mediators including interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and tumour necrosis factor, which are facilitators of carcinogenesis. Exercise not only reduces adiposity, but may also reduce systemic inflammatory markers. In addition, levels of sex hormones have been associated with risk of developing breast and endometrial cancer for women, and prostate cancer in men. Several studies have shown a modest inverse relationship between physical activity and the level of estrogen, and epidemiological and pre-clinical studies have shown that physical activity reduces risk of breast or endometrial cancer. Insulin resistance has been linked to development of solid cancers, such as breast, colon, pancreas, endometrial, and ovarian cancer, as well as hematologic malignancies, such as multiple myeloma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, and leukemia. Acute physical activity decreases serum insulin levels and potentially reduces risk of different malignancies. Finally, exercise may influence cancer through promoting the immune system to increase surveillance of tumour cells. The current understanding of the relationship between cancer and exercise is that there are a multitude of multitude of contributing biological pathways, each of which warrant further investigation and validation.
- Subjects
TUMOR prevention; BREAST tumor risk factors; PROSTATE tumors; ENDOMETRIAL tumors; EXERCISE physiology; SEX hormones; INFLAMMATION; INSULIN resistance; OBESITY; PHYSICAL activity; TUMOR risk factors
- Publication
Journal of Pain Management, 2018, Vol 11, Issue 3, p207
- ISSN
1939-5914
- Publication type
Article