The risk of a malignant tumor cannot be completely eliminated, but it can at least be minimized. The important role exercise plays in this.
Many people in Germany do not exercise enough. This increases their risk of numerous diseases, including cancer. But simply by doing more exercise in everyday life, the risk of many types of cancer can be reduced. This is what the three cancer organizations – the German Cancer Aid, the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the German Cancer Society – are emphasizing on the occasion of Cancer Prevention Week.
According to the experts, people who exercise daily can significantly reduce their individual risk of cancer. In particular, the risk of some common types of cancer, such as colon cancer or uterine cancer, can be reduced by 20 to 30 percent through physical activity. Other studies show that younger women in particular can minimize the risk of breast cancer through intensive physical activity, such as weight training, jogging, swimming, fast cycling or team sports. And there is also evidence that exercise can reduce the risk of other types of tumors, including cancer of the bladder and kidneys, stomach and esophagus.
The good thing about it: Regular exercise doesn't have to be competitive sport. Cancer experts say that even everyday exercise such as walking has a positive effect on health. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) also points out the benefits of so-called exercise snacking. This means small exercise sessions of around three to four minutes a day that increase the heart rate and make you slightly out of breath or sweat. Examples of this include walking quickly to the bakery, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or cycling to work.
One of the main reasons is that physical activity strengthens the immune system, which makes it easier for the body to recognize and fight cancer cells. It also helps reduce inflammation in the body, which plays a role in the development of cancer. Regular exercise also regulates body weight – being overweight is a known risk factor for various types of cancer, such as breast and colon cancer.
In order to promote cancer prevention in children, the German Cancer Aid organisations are calling for one hour of ungraded school sport per day. “The joy of exercise is actually something we are born with,” says Gerd Nettekoven, Chairman of the German Cancer Aid. “But for various reasons, many children forget how to enjoy physical activity and grow up to be lazy about exercise.” It is important to get children excited about physical activity.
If you want to actively reduce your risk of cancer, you can strengthen your body through a healthy diet, not smoking and regular exercise. There are already very convincing study results, especially for physical exercise, which show that the risk of certain types of cancer is reduced. These include colon cancer, uterine cancer and breast cancer in particular.
The type of exercise should be chosen according to your state of health. Endurance sports such as running, swimming or cycling improve cardiovascular health and strengthen the immune system, which helps prevent cancer. But walking, Nordic walking or yoga also have a positive effect on the metabolism. Last but not least, small amounts of exercise in everyday life help to improve general health and thus reduce the risk of cancer.
