Scientists from Australia and Italy have shown that even one intense workout can activate the body’s anti-cancer defenses. The study involved 32 women who had undergone treatment for breast cancer. After a 45-minute strength or interval workout, the levels of three myokines in their blood — IL-6, decorin and SPARC — all known for their anti-cancer properties, increased.
The strongest effect was recorded in the laboratory: the participants’ serum after exercise slowed the division of cancer cells by 20–30%. This means that physical activity can temporarily make the body’s internal environment less favorable for a tumor — even after cancer treatment.
Thus, even moderate but regular exercise may not only help maintain fitness, but also actively contribute to the formation of anti-cancer immunity. In the future, the authors of the study suggest, such exercises could become part of standard rehabilitation and recurrence-prevention programs after breast cancer.
