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Physical activity and risk of cancer

This page presents information on the link between physical activity and cancer. It is well known that exercise prevents heart disease. Evidence is growing for a protective effect against cancer.

While it is difficult to separate the effects of physical inactivity from those of increased bodyweight, there is consistent evidence that people with higher levels of physical activity have a reduced risk of colon and probably breast and endometrial cancer that is independent of bodyweight.

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More than 60 studies have looked at the association between physical activity and colon cancer, the overwhelming majority showing a reduced risk with higher levels of exercise. The largest cohort studies suggest that the risk reduction for the most active people is between 20% and 25%.1,2

Physical activity may affect colon cancer risk in various ways, including by reducing faecal transit time, inflammation and insulin resistance and modifying hormone metabolism.3,4

About 50 studies have looked at the association between physical activity and breast cancer, showing that post-menopausal women who are physically active have up to an 80% reduction in risk.5

The risk reduction could be because exercise lowers BMI, or because it alters hormone levels.6,7 It is less clear that physical activity reduces the risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer.4,5

The most active women have a 20% reduced risk of endometrial cancer compared to the least active women, according to a meta-analysis of seven cohort studies.8

A meta-analysis found evidence that people who participate in higher levels of recreational physical activity have a lower risk of lung cancer.9

Since that analysis, results of studies into physical activity and lung cancer risk have been inconsistent.10-13

Some studies have shown a reduced risk of pancreatic cancer for people doing moderate amounts of physical activity,14,15 but other studies do not show an association.16,17

There is limited evidence from three cohort studies that men who are physically active have a reduced risk of advanced prostate cancer.18-20

Only 35% of men and 24% of women in England are meeting the current Government guidelines of 30 minutes of moderate physical activity on at least five days a week. Levels of physical activity decline with age, and in all age groups women are much less likely to meet recommendations than men (Figure 3.1.21

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While exercise levels have increased since 1997, 21% of men and 26% of women in England still do less than one session of at least 30 continuous minutes of physical activity every four weeks.21,22 > Inactivity levels are similar elsewhere in the UK.23

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References

1. Friedenreich, C., et al.,Physical activity and risk of colon and rectal cancers: the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2006. 15(12): p. 2398-407
2. Wei, E.K., et al.,Comparison of risk factors for colon and rectal cancer. Int J Cancer, 2004. 108(3): p. 433-42
3. IARC, IARC Handbooks of Cancer Prevention: Weight control and physical activity. 2002, Lyon: IARC Press.
4. World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute for Cancer Research Food, nutrition, physical activity and the prevention of cancer: A global perspective. 2007, Washington: American Institute for Cancer Research.
5. Monninkhof, E.M., et al.,Physical activity and breast cancer: a systematic review. Epidemiology, 2007. 18(1): p. 137-57
6. McTiernan, A., et al., Effect of exercise on serum estrogens in postmenopausal women: a 12-month randomized clinical trial. Cancer Res, 2004. 64(8): p. 2923-8
7. Chan, M.F., et al., Usual physical activity and endogenous sex hormones in postmenopausal women: the European prospective investigation into cancer-norfolk population study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2007. 16(5): p. 900-5
8. Voskuil, D.W., et al.,Physical activity and endometrial cancer risk, a systematic review of current evidence. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2007. 16(4): p. 639-48
9. Tardon, A., et al.,Leisure-time physical activity and lung cancer: a meta-analysis. Cancer Causes Control, 2005. 16(4): p. 389-97
10. Steindorf, K., et al., Physical activity and lung cancer risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer andNutrition Cohort. Int J Cancer, 2006
11. Bak, H., et al.,Physical activity and risk for lung cancer in a Danish cohort. Int J Cancer, 2005. 116(3): p. 439-44
12. Sinner, P., et al., The association of physical activity with lung cancer incidence in a cohort of older women: the Iowa Women's Health Study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2006. 15(12): p. 2359-63
13. Alfano, C.M., et al., Physical activity in relation to all-site and lung cancer incidence and mortality in current and former smokers. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2004. 13(12): p. 2233-41
14. Michaud, D.S., et al., Physical activity, obesity, height, and the risk of pancreatic cancer. JAMA, 2001. 286(8): p. 921-9
15. Hanley, A.J., et al., Physical activity, anthropometric factors and risk of pancreatic cancer: results from the Canadian enhanced cancer surveillance system. Int J Cancer, 2001. 94(1): p. 140-7
16. Patel, A.V., et al., Obesity, recreational physical activity, and risk of pancreatic cancer in a large U.S. Cohort. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2005. 14(2): p. 459-66
17. Lin, Y., et al.,Obesity, physical activity and the risk of pancreatic cancer in a large Japanese cohort. Int J Cancer, 2007. 120(12): p. 2665-71
18. Nilsen, T.I., P.R. Romundstad, and L.J. Vatten, Recreational physical activity and risk of prostate cancer: A prospective population-based study in Norway (the HUNT study). Int J Cancer, 2006. 119(12): p. 2943-7
19. Patel, A.V., et al., Recreational physical activity and risk of prostate cancer in a large cohort of u.s. Men. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2005. 14(1): p. 275-9
20. Giovannucci, E.L., et al., A prospective study of physical activity and incident and fatal prostate cancer. Arch Intern Med, 2005. 165(9): p. 1005-10
21. Department of Health Health survey for England: Trend data 1993-2002. 2003.
22. Office for National Statistics,Health Survey for England: Summary of key findings. 2003
23. Scottish Executive Health Department, Scottish Health Survey 1998. 2000