Can being active before surgery help cancer patients recover faster?
Association of Preoperative Physical Activity with Short- and Long-Term Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Palliative Resection for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: An Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting Analysis
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Preoperative physical activity reduced short-term death risk but had zero impact on overall survival.
Everyone assumes being fit helps you live longer with cancer—this study proves that for metastatic cases, fitness saves you from dying in the hospital, but not from the cancer itself.
Practical Takeaways
If you or a loved one is facing cancer surgery, aim for at least 12 MET hours per week of moderate activity (like 30 mins/day of brisk walking or cycling) before the operation.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Preoperative physical activity reduced short-term death risk but had zero impact on overall survival.
Everyone assumes being fit helps you live longer with cancer—this study proves that for metastatic cases, fitness saves you from dying in the hospital, but not from the cancer itself.
Practical Takeaways
If you or a loved one is facing cancer surgery, aim for at least 12 MET hours per week of moderate activity (like 30 mins/day of brisk walking or cycling) before the operation.
Publication
Journal
Cancers
Year
2022
Authors
Ching-Chung Cheng, I-Li Lai, Shu-Huan Huang, W. Tsai, P. Hsieh, Chien‐Yuh Yeh, Sum-Fu Chiang, Hsin-Yuan Hung, Jeng-Fu You
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Claims (5)
Patients with advanced colorectal cancer who were more physically active before surgery had lower rates of certain complications after surgery, such as infections, breathing problems, and bowel blockages, compared to those who were less active.
Patients with advanced colorectal cancer who were more physically active before surgery tended to leave the hospital sooner than those who were less active, based on average hospital stay durations.
Patients with advanced colorectal cancer who were more physically active before surgery had fewer complications after surgery, regardless of whether the complications were mild or severe.
Patients with advanced colorectal cancer who engaged in at least 12 MET hours of weekly physical activity before surgery had lower rates of complications and death after surgery compared to those who were less active, based on observed differences in a patient group.
Among patients with advanced colorectal cancer who undergo surgery to relieve symptoms, those who were physically active before surgery (at least 12 MET hours per week) did not live longer than those who were less active, after accounting for differences in tumor location, extent of surgery, and chemotherapy use.