46% drop in Cancer death risk, study says - muscle strength and cardio

A recent study suggests that maintaining physical fitness and muscle strength could play a crucial role in helping cancer patients combat the disease. This approach may not only improve overall well-being but also potentially enhance treatment outcomes.

According to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, cancer patients with higher levels of muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness had up to a 46% lower risk of dying from any type of cancer compared to those with lower fitness levels.

The study found that the benefit of higher muscle strength and cardiovascular fitness remained significant even for patients with advanced-stage cancers and those diagnosed with lung or digestive cancers.

The researchers emphasized in their study that muscle strength could serve as a clinical marker for assessing mortality risk in cancer patients, even in advanced stages. They suggested that incorporating muscle-strengthening exercises into treatment plans might help extend life expectancy for these patients.

In 2022, approximately 20 million people worldwide were diagnosed with cancer, and nearly 10 million lost their lives to the disease—a trend researchers predict will continue to grow in the coming decades.

In 2024, Canada saw an estimated 247,100 new cancer diagnoses and 88,100 cancer-related deaths, averaging 241 fatalities daily, according to the Canadian Cancer Society.

While advances in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment have significantly lowered overall mortality rates, the study suggests that factors such as treatment side effects—like cardiotoxicity and muscle loss—along with factors such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, and physical inactivity, continue to play a role in cancer-related deaths.

According to Kristin Campbell, a physical therapist and researcher with the Canadian Cancer Society in British Columbia, maintaining physical fitness and engaging in muscle-strengthening exercises has been shown to lower the risk of developing various types of cancer.

She explained that physical fitness is vital as it helps reduce inflammation, maintain a healthy body weight and muscle mass, decrease the risk of Type 2 diabetes, and enhance systemic circulation.