Physically active men may improve their prostate cancer prognosis

man working out cancer prevention

via NY Daily News

There are various treatments involved in beating back a prostate cancer diagnosis. Sometimes a man may feel that he is at the mercy of his doctor recommending treatments that can be worrisome, possibly resulting in long-term side effects after a negative cancer prognosis.

However, there is one type of therapy all men should embrace where he is in charge with minimal if any side effects — becoming more physically active.

We all know exercise is beneficial for each of us but when faced with a cancer diagnosis, it becomes more personable and relevant than ever. Prostate cancer patients are no exception. There will be times when it can be difficult to keep active and moving but exercise is very important in the recovery process.

Evidence is limited, but previous studies have suggested that vigorous activity such as brisk walking after a diagnosis of prostate cancer may result in a lower rate of dying from the disease.

However, there is one type of therapy all men should embrace where he is in charge with minimal if any side effects — becoming more physically active.We all know exercise is beneficial for each of us but when faced with a cancer diagnosis, it becomes more personable and relevant than ever. Prostate cancer patients are no exception. There will be times when it can be difficult to keep active and moving but exercise is very important in the recovery process.Evidence is limited, but previous studies have suggested that vigorous activity such as brisk walking after a diagnosis of prostate cancer may result in a lower rate of dying from the disease.

Active surveillance is a viable way to monitor prostate cancerIt is not known yet if physical activity prior to developing prostate cancer can help lower the risk of contracting it. But physical activity prior to a cancer diagnosis might be associated with factors that determine the aggressiveness of a prostate cancer tumor.

There is also the association of time spent sitting and the risk of dying from prostate cancer. A large, prospective cohort study investigated physical activity of walking only in the absence of other activities, and the time spent sitting both before and after a prostate cancer diagnosis in relation to the risk of prostate cancer mortality.

What they found was that men who increased their physical activity level after a prostate cancer diagnosis had a significant lower risk of a terminal cancer prognosis, compared to men with a minimal amount of activity, defined as walking less than one hour each week.

Similar benefits were found in men who were already physically active prior to a prostate cancer diagnosis. Men who walked four to six hours each week prior to prostate cancer had a significantly lower risk of dying from it. Men who walked seven hours or more a week had an even greater reduced risk.

A Harvard study found that brisk walking prior to prostate cancer diagnosis is associated with more normally shaped blood vessels in prostate tumors. The normally shaped blood vessels in prostate cancer tumors can inhibit the spread of cancer throughout the body, thus lowering the risk of dying from the disease.

The American Cancer Society recommends that all survivors of prostate cancer achieve at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity each week, or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week.

A physically active lifestyle adopted by all men, whether they are a prostate cancer survivor or not, can help to either increase the odds of defeating the disease or preventing a cancer prognosis.

Patients newly diagnosed with prostate cancer can contact world renowned prostate cancer surgeon and urologic oncologist, Dr. David Samadi, for a free phone consultation and to learn more about prostate cancer risk, by calling 212-365-5000 or visiting prostatecancer911.com.

 

Dr. Samadi is a board-certified urologic oncologist trained in open and traditional and laparoscopic surgery and is an expert in robotic prostate surgery. He is chairman of urology, chief of robotic surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital.. He is a medical correspondent for the Fox News Channel’s Medical A-Team Learn more at roboticoncology.com. Visit Dr. Samadi’s blog at SamadiMD.com. Follow Dr. Samadi on Twitter, Instagram, Pintrest and Facebook.

Patients newly diagnosed with prostate cancer can contact Dr. David Samadi for a free phone consultation and to learn more about prostate cancer risk by calling 212-365-5000 or visiting prostatecancer911.com.

Physically active men may improve their prostate cancer prognosis
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Dr. David Samadi, MD.

Dr. David Samadi is a Urologic Oncology Expert and Robotic Surgeon who was included in the prestigious Castle Connoly's America’s Top Doctors and New York Magazine’s Best Doctor’s List.

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Dr. David Samadi, MD.

Dr. David Samadi is a Urologic Oncology Expert and Robotic Surgeon who was included in the prestigious Castle Connoly's America’s Top Doctors and New York Magazine’s Best Doctor’s List.