Exercise Can Boost Results For People Fighting Esophageal Cancer

Esophageal cancer occurs when cancer cells develop in the esophagus, a tube-like structure that runs from the throat to the stomach. Food goes from the mouth to the stomach through the esophagus. Cancer starts in the inner layer of the esophagus and can spread to other parts of the body(metastases)

Exercise Can Boost Results For People Fighting Esophageal Cancer

The latest study included 40 patients with esophageal cancer, sometimes called gullet or fallopian tubes. Some patients received weekly exercise before the chemotherapy treatment, as well as instructions on how to continue the exercise program at home.

Alan Holman, 70 did not stop exercising even after he was told he had cancer, he is happy about it now because British researchers say that moderate exercise can improve the results of chemotherapy in patients with esophageal cancer. 

Holman was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in December 2016, shortly after retiring from his job at a British mall. Like many other patients, he underwent chemotherapy and then surgery. He was also enrolled in the exercise regimen as part of the study. 

According to Holman, when he started chemotherapy, it was tiring, but after an hour with the trainer, you feel better. He also added that these exercises got him through chemotherapy.

When compared to patients of a similar age with cancer status who did not participate in the exercise program, those who participated in the exercise program responded better to chemotherapy. Their tumors were smaller, and they had a lower cancer status, which means they were less developed. 

As per the study leader Andrew Davies, a consultant in upper gastrointestinal surgery at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, it is a small but promising study because it shows how a moderate exercise program can help improve the success of chemotherapy treatment.

According to the study authors, moderate exercise also reduces some of the negative effects of chemotherapy on fitness, which means it could help make chemotherapy a better option for more patients. 

The report was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine on February 2. David said that they wanted to confirm this effect in further research, but it may be useful for patients with other cancers and as a cost-effective way to improve treatment effectiveness.

Chemotherapy is the standard treatment for esophageal and many other cancers but can have negative side effects such as fatigue, illness, and risk of infection.

According to another study it was proved that more than 46,000 cancer diagnoses can be avoided by exercising at moderate intensity for 5 hours a week.

Physical activity can be any movement that uses the skeletal muscles forcing you to use more energy than when relaxing. Activities include jogging, walking, dancing, cycling, swimming, playing sports, or even doing household work. 

Some of the mechanisms by which physical activity helps reduce cancer are positive physiological changes in the body. These include weight loss, making the heart stronger, causing easier dilation of the arteries that improves blood flow through the body. It also helps in reducing ‘bad LDL’ cholesterol while raising ‘good HDL’  cholesterol.

Five years later, Holman remains active. He said that he had a very active job and was walking a lot every day, and not a person who sits indoors all day long. Now he used to try to go to the gym once a week and go for a walk at least once a day.