‘Brisk’ walks may slow spread of prostate cancer, study finds

POWER walks could be life-savers for men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer, a study has found.

Walking for at least three hours a week has been shown to improve patients’ outcomes, and even prevent progression of their disease.

But researchers pointed out it was not enough to go for a leisurely stroll. The walks had to be “brisk” to provide any benefit.

Scientists studied 1,455 men who were diagnosed with localised prostate cancer that had not yet started to spread.

Patients’ physical activity levels were assessed about two years after their diagnosis and initial treatment.

Subsequently the US researchers recorded 117 events, including disease recurrence, bone tumours, and deaths specifically caused by prostate cancer.

They found that men who walked briskly for at least three hours a week had a 57% lower rate of disease progression than men who walked for less time at an easy pace.

“It appears that men who walk briskly after their diagnosis may delay or even prevent progression of their disease,” said lead scientist Erin Richman, from the University of California, San Francisco.

“The benefit from walking truly depended on how quickly you walked. Walking at an easy pace did not seem to have any benefit.”

The findings, published in the journal Cancer Research, add to growing evidence that regular walking may combat health problems, including heart disease and some cancers.

“Walking is something everyone can and should do to improve their health,” Ms Richman added.

Dr Stephen Schwartz, a senior editor of the journal, said the study was important because research on the effects of physical activity on prostate cancer was lacking.

“We have had some studies that show a reduced risk of developing prostate cancer, but this is strong evidence of a benefit after someone is diagnosed.”

From the time of their assessment the men’s progress was monitored for up to 31 months.

The researchers took account of patients’ body mass and excluded those who engaged in vigorous activity such as running, cycling and lap swimming.

Distances walked did not influence the findings. Walking was associated with a significant reduced risk of prostate cancer progression independent of the length of walks. Vigorous activity was also found to reduce the risk of cancer progression, but not in a statistically significant way.

Brisk walking may help reduce circulating levels of insulin, a key growth-stimulating chemical, and a metabolism protein secreted by fat cells, the scientists wrote.