By Wendy Haaf
According to the striking findings of a British study, working out may boost the body’s response to pre-surgery chemotherapy for esophageal cancer.
In a trial, 21 people with esophageal cancer underwent five to six individualized exercise sessions of aerobic and strength training totalling 150 minutes a week in the lead-up to surgery. These patients, and 19 others who didn’t exercise, all received best standard practice—a specific chemotherapy regimen plus information on topics such as physical activity and nutrition from specialized health professionals.
Researchers found that when it was time for surgery, the tumours had shrunk in 75 percent of patients in the exercise group.
Source: British Journal of Sports Medicine
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