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Physical activity, less time seated reduced all-cause mortality in colorectal cancer patients
Patients with colorectal cancer who participated in more recreational physical activity and less leisure time sitting were at reduced risk for all-cause mortality in a recent study.
Researchers evaluated 2,293 patients with invasive, nonmetastatic colorectal cancer diagnosed before June 2007. Participants had been enrolled in the Cancer Prevention Study-II (CPS-II) Nutrition Cohort initiated in 1992, and had completed a questionnaire regarding physical activity and the amount of leisure time spent sitting. Data on post-diagnosis activity and seated leisure time were available for 80% and 74% of participants, respectively.
During a mean follow-up of 6.8 years after diagnosis, death occurred in 846 patients, including 379 deaths from colorectal cancer, 127 from other cancers, 152 from cardiovascular disease, 49 from respiratory disease and 139 from other causes. Multivariate analysis indicated an association between reduced risk for all-cause mortality and 8.75 metabolic equivalent (MET) hours or more per week of recreational physical activity (approximately 150 minutes or more of moderately intense activity) compared with less than 3.5 MET hours weekly before (adjusted RR=0.72; 95% CI, 0.58-0.89) and after cancer diagnosis (aRR=0.58; 95% CI, 0.47-0.71).
Further analysis indicated a significant association between physical activity and death from cardiovascular disease before (aRR=0.60; 95% CI, 0.36-1.00) and after diagnosis (aRR=0.36; 95% CI, 0.24-0.55).
Patients who reported 6 hours or more per day of seated leisure time were at increased risk for all-cause mortality vs. those who reported fewer than 3 hours, before (aRR=1.36; 95% CI, 1.10-1.68) and after cancer diagnosis (aRR=1.27; 95% CI, 0.99-1.64). A greater amount of leisure time spent sitting following diagnosis also was significantly associated with death from colorectal cancer (aRR=1.62; 95% CI, 1.07-2.44).
“This study supports public health recommendations for recreational physical activity and the avoidance of sedentary time among colorectal cancer survivors,” the researchers wrote. “Physicians should consider counseling colorectal cancer survivors to adopt a physically active lifestyle aiming to achieve 150 minutes per week or more of moderate-intensity activity, such as walking, and to avoid prolonged sitting.”