Exercise is the new “miracle drug” used in the fight against cancer, having the ability to reduce the risk of the disease returning, according to a recent study in the UK.
Patients suffering from breast cancer who are exercising for 150 minutes during a week have a 40% reduction of the risk of death and risk of disease recurrence compared with patients who exercise less than an hour week, informs mirror.co.uk.
Patients suffering from intestinal cancer have a 50% reduction in the risk of recurrence of disease if they exercise six hours a week, and patients suffering from prostate cancer have a 30% lower death risk if they exercise for three hours a week.
Macmillian Cancer Support Foundation, the charity which commissioned this study, supports the recommendations issued by the Department of Health in Britain, which urges all survivors of the battle with cancer to perform 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week.
However, only 40% of doctors and nurses in oncology services are aware of these recommendations and over 50% of them do not talk to patients about the benefits of practicing physical exercises.
The practice of physical exercise during treatment for cancer has positive effects on mood and, after exercising, diminish side effects, such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, mobility disorders and changes in weight.
Representatives of the British Macmillian Cancer Support Foundation estimated that about 1.6 million people from the two million survivors who have beat cancer have not found that they have to exercise for 150 minutes per week in order to reduce the risk of recurrence of the disease.