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High-intensity exercise may limit colorectal cancer growth
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Biomarkers produced after high-intensity interval training could reduce progression of colorectal cancer cells, according to study results published in the Journal of Physiology.
James Devin, of the School of Human Movements and Nutrition Sciences at the University of Queensland in Australia, said that even a short session of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) helped produce the cytokines associated with a reduction in cancer growth.
“We have shown that exercise may play a role in inhibiting the growth of colon cancer cells,” he said in a press release. “After an acute bout of HIIT there were specific increases in inflammation immediately after exercise, which are hypothesized to be involved in reducing the number of cancer cells.”
Researchers recruited patients who survived CRC to complete either a single session of HIIT (acute; n = 10) or 12 sessions over the course of 4 weeks (chronic; n = 10). In the acute group, researchers collected serum samples at baseline and at 0 and 120 minutes after exercise. In the chronic group, they collected resting serum samples before and after the 4 weeks of training. Finally, researchers incubated cells for up to 72 hours and assessed the samples to determine the number of cells present.
Investigators identified increases in serum interleukin-6 (P = .023), interleukin-8 (P = .036) and TNF-alpha (P = .003) in samples collected immediately following acute HIIT. Although serum collected immediately after exercise indicated a reduced growth in cancer cells, researchers did not find the decrease in samples collected 120 minutes after exercise.
Investigators wrote that repetitive exposure to the acute effects of HIIT could contribute to the link between exercise and improved CRC survival.
“This suggests that a physically active lifestyle may be important in tackling human colorectal tumors,” Devin said in the release. “We would now like to look at how these changes in growth occur and understand the mechanisms by which biomarkers in the blood can impact cell growth.” – by Alex Young
Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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