Brisk 30-minute walk a day ‘STOPS killer breast cancer returning’
Key findings showed that breast cancer patients should engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day to prevent the disease from recurring
A HALF hour stroll a day can help women who've survived breast cancer prevent the killer disease returning, experts say.
A new study shows taking up exercise and keeping trim are the most important lifestyle changes to help reduce the risk of relapsing.
Around one in eight women in the UK will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, according to Cancer Research UK.
But lifestyle changes could minimise the risk of the disease, which killed 11,433 Brits in 2014, from returning.
Dr. Ellen Warner, study co-author from Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Canada, said: "Of all lifestyle factors, physical activity has the most robust effect on breast cancer outcomes.
"Weight gain of more than 10 per cent body weight after a breast cancer diagnosis increases breast cancer mortality and all-cause mortality.
"However, there are good reasons to discourage even moderate weight gain because of its negative effects on mood and body image."
The review, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, of 67 articles looked at the lifestyle changes, including exercise, weight, diet and smoking, which improve survival rates.
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As well as avoiding gaining weight, the key findings showed that breast cancer patients should engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day, five days a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week.
Two to three sessions of strength training for large muscle groups are also recommended.
No specific type of diet was shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence.
The study also found that moderate consumption of vitamin C may be helpful, although more evidence is needed.
Vitamin D supplements may be taken to maintain adequate levels for bone strength, since chemotherapy and hormonal treatments can reduce bone density.
While it was unclear if stopping smoking after a breast cancer diagnosis affects recurrence, researchers said that the risk of death from smoking-related health issues is a strong reason to quit.
And limiting alcohol consumption to a maximum of one drink per day may also help reduce the risk of a second breast cancer.
Dr Warner added: "Making positive lifestyle changes can also be psychologically beneficial to patients by empowering them, since the feeling of loss of control is one of the biggest challenges of a cancer diagnosis.
Of all lifestyle factors, physical activity has the most robust effect on breast cancer outcomes
Dr Ellen Warner
"Because it is common for patients to reduce their level of physical activity after a breast cancer diagnosis, it is important for health care professionals to promote and encourage exercise.
"Simply receiving advice from an oncologist to exercise more has been shown to increase patients' level of activity."
She said an important point to emphasise was that the breast cancer patients in the studies showing the benefits of lifestyle changes were also receiving conventional anti-cancer therapy, and lifestyle changes should never be used as a substitute for standard therapy.
Dr Warner cautioned that the recommendations are not a "silver bullet" for all women with breast cancer.
She said some breast cancers have aggressive biology and will recur despite the most meticulous lifestyle behaviour.
Dr Warner added: "Patients should not be made to feel that inadequate lifestyle changes have led to recurrence of their cancer."
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