(WXYZ) — In today’s Health Alert, new research on colorectal cancer shows that exercise and anti-inflammatory diets can boost survival and may lower the risk of cancer coming back.
Plus, a new targeted drug combination is showing impressive results.
Colorectal cancer is one of the most serious threats in my field, and these new studies offer real hope.
Now, one study followed nearly 900 colon cancer patients over 15 years. All had finished chemotherapy. Half were given a booklet on healthy eating and exercise. The other half were paired with a personal coach to increase physical activity.
And here’s what researchers found. The exercise group became more active, had 28% fewer recurrences of cancer, and 37% fewer deaths from any cause. On top of that, their 5-year disease-free survival rate was 80%, compared to 74% in the booklet group. This is a big difference.
As for the second study, researchers followed patients with stage 3 colon cancer. They compared physical activity and diets rich in anti-inflammatory foods to inflammatory diets. And here’s what was found. Those who were more physically active and ate more anti-inflammatory foods, like leafy greens, tea, and coffee, had a 63% lower risk of death. That’s huge.
Both these studies tell us that what we eat and how we live play a real role in healing.
The drug is called Braftovi. When it was combined with chemotherapy and a targeted antibody, it doubled survival time in patients with an aggressive type of colon cancer, from 15 months to 30. It’s a great example of precision medicine, where treatment is tailored to the specific cancer.
So now we have strong evidence that regular exercise and anti-inflammatory foods can help people live longer with colon cancer. If you or a loved one is dealing with this cancer, talk to your doctor about adding these changes to your care plan.
Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths, and it’s rising among younger adults here in the U.S. The good news? It’s treatable and often preventable when caught early. I recommend getting screened at age 45, or earlier if you have a family history or symptoms like blood in the stool. The key is to talk to your doctor and not put it off.
