A new study from Canada reveals why the man in your life with prostate cancer needs to think differently about his workout routine
If you could reduce the risk of disease progression from prostate cancer by 61%, would you do it? Especially if it's fun and healthy?
Of course you would. We all would.
Here's the thing: this isn't hypothetical. A groundbreaking study published this month in the British Journal of Cancer just proved that vigorous exercise after prostate cancer surgery can slash the risk of cancer coming back by exactly that much. 61%.
But before you start cheering and lacing up running shoes, there's a catch that the benefit depends on the treatment pathway that is appropriate or chosen for your man’s prostate cancer.
The Canadian Study on Exercise and Prostate Cancer
Researchers followed 830 men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer in Alberta, Canada, tracking their exercise habits and treatment outcomes for years. What they discovered was startling: whether exercise helped these men survive depended entirely on what treatment they received.
The men who had surgery and exercised vigorously after their diagnosis? They slashed their risk of disease progression by an incredible 61%. But here's the kicker—men who received radiation therapy got zero benefit from that same vigorous exercise. None.
Think about that for a moment. The same activity that was potentially life-saving for one group of men was completely ineffective for another. It all came down to treatment type.
Why This Matters for Your Family
If someone you love is facing prostate cancer, this research could change their treatment strategy. It's not just about whether they should exercise, it's about when they exercise and what treatments they're receiving.
Jessica, one of the remarkable women I interviewed for my book Crushing the Cancer Curveball, discovered this intuitively during her own cancer journey. She kept running through chemotherapy, completing half marathons during treatment because she believed, correctly, as it turns out, that "if I was exercising it out of my body, maybe the chemo would leave faster and I would make more cells."
The research is catching up to what patients like Jessica already knew: exercise isn't just about staying fit during cancer treatment. It's about strategically supporting your body's ability to heal.
Personally, I believe my pain management and rapid recovery from my bilateral mastectomy and DIEP reconstruction was a benefit of the resistance, weight bearing, and metabolic exercise I did throughout my treatment. My body was primed for recovery.
The Bigger Picture: Exercise as Medicine
This study raises a provocative question: Are we thinking about exercise as an actual treatment that needs to be prescribed with the same precision as chemotherapy or radiation?
Irit, another cancer survivor whose story I've shared, called her Peloton sessions "my rebellion against cancer." She was onto something. Exercise oncology—combining physical activity with cancer care—isn't just about feeling good. It's about optimizing treatment outcomes.
But here's what the prostate cancer study teaches us: we can't apply a one-size-fits-all approach. The timing of exercise relative to other treatments matters. The type of treatment matters. The sequencing matters.
What This Means for Families
If your husband, father, brother, or friend is facing prostate cancer, here's what you need to know:
For men having surgery, vigorous exercise after surgery could be one of the most powerful tools in their recovery arsenal. This isn't just about getting back in shape, it's about significantly improving their chances of staying cancer-free.
For men receiving radiation, the old playbook of "just stay active" isn't enough. These men need a different strategy, one that researchers are still working to define. Exercise is still good for you for many reasons, but this study doesn’t find that it impacts prostate cancer disease progression after radiation.
For everyone: Exercise timing relative to treatment isn't an afterthought, it's a critical component of cancer care that deserves the same attention as choosing the right surgeon or oncologist.
The Questions We Should Be Asking
This research should spark conversations in every oncologist's office:
When should my loved one start exercising relative to their treatment?
What type of exercise makes the most sense for their specific treatment plan?
How can we optimize the combination and sequencing of exercise with other therapies?
Who on the medical team is responsible for creating an exercise prescription?
A Call for Change
Here's what frustrates me: we're still treating exercise as an optional add-on to cancer care instead of recognizing it as the powerful treatment tool it is. This prostate cancer study proves that exercise can be as impactful as many medications, but only when used correctly.
The men who had surgery and exercised vigorously didn't just feel better or have more energy. They had a 61% lower risk of their cancer returning. That's not a feel-good story; that's a medical intervention.
Moving Forward
If there's someone in your life facing prostate cancer, print out this research and bring it to their next appointment. Ask their medical team how they're incorporating exercise oncology into the treatment plan. Ask when your loved one should start exercising and what type of activity is best.
Because here's the truth: cancer treatment has never been one-size-fits-all, and neither should exercise during cancer. This Canadian study proves that timing isn't just everything in comedy, it's everything in cancer care, too.
The men who exercised after surgery didn't just get stronger. They got better. And that's a game-changer worth talking about.
What questions does this research raise for you? How might this change conversations with your loved one's medical team? Share your thoughts—because these discussions could save lives.
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