(Press-News.org) HOUSTON ― Regular and intense aerobic exercise may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer in patients with Lynch Syndrome (LS) by improving the immune system's ability to detect and remove potentially harmful cells, according to researchers at
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
The findings, published today in Clinical Cancer Research, revealed that LS carriers participating in a high-intensity training (HIIT) regimen saw a reduction of the inflammatory marker prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in both the colon and the blood. Researchers also found higher levels of two types of immune cells, natural killer (NK) and CD8+ T cells, suggesting an increased immune response in the colon.
“It was mind-blowing to me that exercise induced such strong and durable change,” said study lead, Eduardo Vilar-Sanchez, M.D., Ph.D., professor of Clinical Cancer Prevention. “We found that high-intensity training not only enhances how the body could fight cancer at its earliest stages, but it also gives many other health benefits.”
LS is a hereditary condition affecting more than 1 million Americans that carries a high lifetime risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) and endometrial cancer. Men with LS have a 60%-80% risk of developing CRC, while that risk is 40%-60% for women. Women also face the same amount of chance of developing endometrial cancer.
This non-randomized study followed 21 LS patients between the ages of 18 and 50 over a 12-month period. Eleven patients were assigned to the exercise group and 10 to receive usual care. All 21 patients were given activity trackers. The exercise group enrolled in three 45-minute HIIT cycling sessions a week, while usual care patients were only told about the benefits of working out.
Participants in the exercise group recorded a median of 164 weekly exercise minutes at a heart rate >70%, while the usual care group recorded a median of 14 weekly exercise minutes.
At the start of the study, both groups completed a baseline health questionnaire and underwent a standard-of-care lower gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy with biopsies and blood collection. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) was performed at the second visit, within 30 days of the primary endoscopy. All participants received a 1-year endoscopy followed by a CPET at the fourth checkup, within 30 days of the 1-year endoscopy. There were no significant adverse events.
Expression analysis by next-generation sequencing showed statistically significant changes in gene expression in the normal colorectal mucosa between the exercise and usual care groups. In the group that exercised, 13 genes became more active, while 33 genes became less active when compared to the group that did not exercise. Activated genes were involved in immune signaling pathways, whereas suppressed genes were linked to muscle contraction and metabolism.
Researchers also found that when the body's ability to use oxygen (VO2peak) increases, it stimulates production of myokines and cytokines, which help regulate your immune system. Exercise was also linked to lower levels of PGE2 and an increase in certain immune cells in the colon, including CD8+ T cells and CD57+ NK cells, which play important roles in cancer defense.
“It can be difficult for patients to commit to taking a pill,” Vilar-Sanchez said. “If we are able to validate the preventive benefits of this approach in future studies, we hope to offer a ‘lifestyle prescription’ and give LS patients a new way to possibly lower their cancer risk over time."
Future randomized clinical trials will be needed to confirm the preventive efficacy of aerobic exercise training in LS carriers and to further elucidate the possible immune-related pathways underlying any reductions in cancer risk.
Limitations to the study included the small sample size without race heterogeneity and the non-randomized nature of the design. Participants knew their allocation before signing informed consent, which might have impacted their willingness to participate in the trial. In addition, differences in timing of collection of the specimens and storage in the freezer could have driven differences in metabolite levels.
The study was supported by the Duncan Family Institute for Cancer Prevention and Risk Assessment, the T. Boone Pickens Fund, the National Cancer Institute (CA016672, P50 CA221707) and MD Anderson’s Moon Shots Program®. Vilar-Sanchez reports a consulting or advisory role with Janssen Research and Development, Recursion Pharma and Guardant Health. A full list of co-authors and disclosures can be found here.
Read this press release in the MD Anderson Newsroom.
END
Exercise boosts anti-cancer immunity and reduces inflammation in Lynch Syndrome patients
Study shows, for the first time, biological effects of exercise on the immune system in patients at high risk for cancer
2023-09-19
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
COVID-infected adults with 4 or more underlying diseases or advanced age, face higher risk of ICU stay, death
2023-09-19
Whether vaccinated or not, having at least four disease risk factors put adults hospitalized due to COVID-19 at higher risk for critical outcomes, according to a 10-state study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) VISION Network. The study describes the characteristics of adults hospitalized with COVID-19 from June 2021 through March 2023 and enumerates their risk factors for critical outcomes, defined as intensive care unit (ICU) admission and/or in-hospital death.
It ...
Novel ligands for transition-metal catalysis of photoreactions
2023-09-19
Transition metals form catalytic complexes that can speed up various chemical processes, especially in the production of pharmaceuticals as well as various pigments, dyes, and laboratory reagents like sulfuric acid. The use of light emitting diodes (LEDs) has boosted the use of visible light in reaction catalysis, and scientists have developed photo-redox catalysts made of iridium and ruthenium, which facilitate catalysis when irradiated with specific wavelengths of light. Further, scientists have even demonstrated visible light photoreactions with palladium complexes without the use of photo-redox catalysts. While several such transition metal-catalyzed ...
Ability to drive a car influences quality of life of older adults in Japan
2023-09-19
Physical health and cognitive function declines as we age. Aging impacts people’s ability to perform routine tasks, which affects their well-being and sense of independence. One such routine activity that is frequently affected is driving. For older adults, the inability to drive themselves can mean that they become unable to access basic needs or engage in social activities.
In a recent study that was made available online on 29 August 2023 and is all set to be published in volume 176 of Transportation Research in October 2023, researchers ...
Pediatric endocrinologists concerned for safety amid divisive political climate
2023-09-19
WASHINGTON—Pediatric endocrinologists are concerned for their safety and their ability to provide evidenced-based care to transgender and gender-diverse adolescents amid political divides over gender-affirming care, according to a new paper published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.
Pediatric endocrinologists specialize in the care of children and adolescents with disorders related to hormones and the glands that produce them, such as diabetes and disorders of growth, thyroid or puberty. Some pediatric endocrinologists also provide gender-affirming care as part of their medical practice.
Among youth ages 13 to 17 in the United States, 1.4% identify as transgender, ...
Team looks to plant tissues that move for inspiration in designing artificial actuators
2023-09-19
Scientists are looking to plant tissues that are capable of motion to inspire the design and fabrication of artificial actuators. These bioinspired actuators hold significant potential in applications, such as soft robotics, prosthetics, and smart biomedical devices. A research team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences has published a perspective paper focusing specifically on the ways plants regulate their motion speed and how this might be applied with artificial actuators.
Their paper is published in the journal Nano Research on September 18.
These artificial actuators, that are responsive to humidity, solvents, heat, light, and electricity, ...
Treating NASH disease by removing cholesterol from macrophages using a unique supramolecule
2023-09-19
A research group from the Graduate School of Medicine and Research Institute of Environmental Medicine at Nagoya University reported that cholesterol accumulation in macrophages promotes liver fibrosis in the development of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Using a unique supramolecule, they removed cholesterol in a mouse model, stopping the development of the disease. As cholesterol crystals are also found in human patients, this suggests a potential treatment for the disease. Their findings were published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine.
As the number of patients with ...
Researchers unveil new flexible adhesive with exceptional recovery and adhesion properties for electronic devices
2023-09-19
The rapid advancements in flexible electronic technology have led to the emergence of innovative devices such as foldable displays, wearables, e-skin, and medical devices. These breakthroughs have created a growing demand for flexible adhesives that can quickly recover their shape while effectively connecting various components in these devices. However, conventional pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) often face challenges in achieving a balance between recovery capabilities and adhesive strength. In an extraordinary study conducted at UNIST, researchers have successfully synthesized new types of urethane-based crosslinkers that address this critical challenge.
Led by Professor Dong Woog ...
Grant awarded to University of Louisville law professor will fund climate adaptation project
2023-09-19
The Resilience Justice Project (RJ Project) at the University of Louisville’s Brandeis School of Law has been awarded a one-year multi-institutional grant through a national competitive process to evaluate how climate adaptation planning can be more equitable for low-income communities in eight U.S. coastal areas.
The RJ Project will use the $75,000 award from the National Sea Grant Law Center through NOAA’s National Coastal Resilience Fund to examine coastal urban adaptation in the eight cities: Boston, Cleveland, Miami, New Orleans, San Diego, Savannah, Seattle and Tampa. Principal ...
Technological progress and climate change
2023-09-19
Technological progress can reduce the energy required to achieve the same ends, reducing the use of fossil fuels and the greenhouse gases associated with burning fossil fuels. But technological progress can also make production, consumption, and travel cheaper, stimulating demand and consequently increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Sai Liang and colleagues sought to explore this conundrum by building an environmentally extended general equilibrium model with heterogeneous agent and input-output network covering 141 nations and 65 sectors, ...
Yogurt may be the next go-to garlic breath remedy
2023-09-19
COLUMBUS, Ohio – It turns out yogurt may have a previously unknown benefit: eliminating garlic odors.
A new study conducted in a lab – with follow-up human breath tests being planned – showed that whole milk plain yogurt prevented almost all of the volatile compounds responsible for garlic’s pungent scent from escaping into the air.
Researchers tested the garlic deodorizing capacity of yogurt and its individual components of water, fat and protein to see how each stood up to the stink. Both fat and protein were effective at trapping garlic odors, leading the scientists to suggest high-protein ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Fatty liver in pregnancy may increase risk of preterm birth
World record for lithium-ion conductors
Researchers map 7,000-year-old genetic mutation that protects against HIV
KIST leads next-generation energy storage technology with development of supercapacitor that overcomes limitations
Urine, not water for efficient production of green hydrogen
Chip-scale polydimethylsiloxane acousto-optic phase modulator boosts higher-resolution plasmonic comb spectroscopy
Blood test for many cancers could potentially thwart progression to late stage in up to half of cases
Women non-smokers still around 50% more likely than men to develop COPD
AI tool uses face photos to estimate biological age and predict cancer outcomes
North Korea’s illegal wildlife trade threatens endangered species
Health care workers, firefighters have increased PFAS levels, study finds
Turning light into usable energy
Important step towards improving diagnosis and treatment of brain metastases
Maternal cardiometabolic health during pregnancy associated with higher blood pressure in children, NIH study finds
Mercury levels in the atmosphere have decreased throughout the 21st century
This soft robot “thinks” with its legs
Biologists identify targets for new pancreatic cancer treatments
Simple tweaks to a gene underlie the stench of rotten-smelling flowers
Simple, effective interventions reduce emissions from Bangladesh’s informal brick kilns
Ultrasound-guided 3D bioprinting enables deep-tissue implant fabrication in vivo
Soft limbs of flexible tubes and air enable dynamic, autonomous robotic locomotion
Researchers develop practical solution to reduce emissions and improve air quality from brick manufacturing in Bangladesh
Durham University scientists solve 500-million-year fossil mystery
Red alert for our closest relatives
3D printing in vivo using sound
Global Virus Network meeting unites Caribbean and Latin America to tackle emerging viral threats
MD Anderson Research Highlights for May 8, 2025
Study of Türkiye gold mine landslide highlights need for future monitoring
Researchers find new defense against hard-to-treat plant diseases
Characterization of research grant terminations at the National Institutes of Health
[Press-News.org] Exercise boosts anti-cancer immunity and reduces inflammation in Lynch Syndrome patientsStudy shows, for the first time, biological effects of exercise on the immune system in patients at high risk for cancer