Research shows exercise-related proteins may suppress tumor growth – sciencedaily


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Forget about bed rest, research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has shown that exercise can be a key weapon in cancer patients’ battle against the disease.

Exercise causes muscles to secrete proteins called myokines into our blood.

A clinical trial saw obese prostate cancer patients undergo regular physical training for 12 weeks, giving blood samples before and after the exercise program.

The researchers then took the samples and applied them directly to living prostate cancer cells.

Study director Professor Robert Newton said the findings help explain why cancer progresses more slowly in patients who exercise.

“The patients’ anti-cancer myokine levels increased over the three months,” he said.

“When we took their blood before exercise and their blood after exercise and placed it on living prostate cancer cells, we found a significant suppression of the growth of these cells from the blood after the exercise. ‘coaching.

“This is quite significant, indicating that chronic exercise creates a cancer suppressive environment in the body.”

A great team

PhD student and research director Jin-Soo Kim said that while myokines could signal cancer cells to grow more slowly – or stop altogether – they were unable to kill cells on their own.

However, he said myokines can team up with other cells in the blood to actively fight cancer.

“Myokines by themselves do not signal cell death,” Kim said.

“But they signal our immune cells – T cells – to attack and kill cancer cells.”

Professor Newton said exercise also complements other prostate cancer treatments such as androgen deprivation therapy, which is both effective and commonly prescribed, but can also lead to significant reduction in lean body mass. and an increase in body fat. This can lead to sarcopenic obesity (being obese with low muscle mass), poorer health, and cancer outcomes.

All of the study participants were on ADT and were obese, with the training program allowing them to maintain lean mass while losing fat.

A future of combat

The study focused on prostate cancer because it is the most common non-skin cancer in men and the high number of patient deaths. However, Professor Newton said the findings could have a wider impact.

“We believe this mechanism applies to all cancers,” he said.

ECU is conducting other studies, including a trial where patients with advanced prostate cancer are put on a six-month exercise program.

Although the results are still pending, Professor Newton said the preliminary results were encouraging.

“These men have a high disease burden, severe side effects from treatment and are very sick, but they can still produce cancer drugs from within.

“This is important because it may indicate why men, even with advanced cancer, if they are physically active, do not die so quickly.”

“Myokine Expression and Tumor Suppressor Effect of Serum After 12 Weeks of Exercise in Prostate Cancer Patients Under ADT” has been published in Medicine and science in sport and exercise.

Source of the story:

Material provided by Edith Cowan University. Note: Content can be changed for style and length.

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About Shirley A. Tamayo

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