A new study from Edith Cowan University (ECU) shows that just one session of resistance or high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can help fight cancer.
Researchers found that these exercises boost the levels of special proteins called myokines.
These myokines are made by muscles and are known to have anti-cancer effects. In fact, they can slow down the growth of cancer cells by 20 to 30 percent.
Francesco Bettariga, a PhD student at ECU, led the study. He explained that exercise is now seen as a useful therapy for people with cancer. Many studies have shown that exercise is safe and helpful during or after cancer treatment. But Mr. Bettariga wanted to learn more about how quickly exercise can produce changes in the body that may help fight cancer.
His research focused on breast cancer survivors. The study measured the levels of myokines before exercise, immediately after, and again 30 minutes after a single workout. The workouts were either resistance training or high-intensity interval training. In both types of exercise, participants had a noticeable increase in myokine levels.
Healthy people usually show an increase in myokines after a hard workout. But it was unclear whether breast cancer survivors—whose bodies may be weakened by cancer and its treatment—would respond in the same way.
The study showed that they did. This is good news and suggests that even one workout can help create these anti-cancer proteins in the body.
Mr. Bettariga says these results are a strong reason to include exercise as part of standard care for cancer patients. He believes more research is needed to see how long these higher levels of myokines last, and whether they can help prevent cancer from returning.
In another part of his research, Mr. Bettariga studied how regular exercise changes the body’s composition and how that may affect inflammation. Inflammation plays a big role in whether breast cancer comes back or leads to death. It can make tumors grow faster, spread to other parts of the body, and weaken the immune system.
Cancer itself, along with the side effects of treatment, often increases inflammation in the body. This puts survivors of breast cancer at higher risk of cancer returning or getting worse. So finding ways to lower inflammation is very important.
Mr. Bettariga’s study showed that regular exercise helps lower inflammation by reducing body fat and increasing muscle. This change in body composition is key. Less fat means fewer inflammatory chemicals are released, and more muscle helps the body stay strong and balanced.
However, Mr. Bettariga warns against losing weight through dieting alone. He says it’s important not to lose weight without exercising because exercise builds and protects muscle. Also, only exercise helps the body produce the important myokines that fight cancer.
This research shows that exercise isn’t just for fitness—it can be a powerful tool in the fight against cancer.
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