The finding came as a natural conclusion to one expert.
“I am a big believer in exercise for overall wellness, and as this study has pointed out, for the management of prostate cancer,” said Dr. Ash Tewari, chair of the department of urology at Mount Sinai Health System in New York City.
Tewari said his belief is ” ‘three miles a day keeps the doctor away,’ and that is why I’ve created a ‘Prostate Bootcamp’ in my practice, which involves walking three miles per day.”
Siobhan Phillips of Northwestern University in Chicago led the team of scientists who conducted the study.
In the study, researchers tracked outcomes for more than 51,000 early stage prostate cancer survivors in the United States, who completed a survey about their quality of life.
According to the study, three hours of “casual” walking per week boosted the men’s health-related quality of life by reducing fatigue, depression and weight issues. Walking at a faster pace for 90 minutes a week provided similar benefits, the team found.
Dr. Manish Vira directs the fellowship program in urologic oncology at The Arthur Smith Institute for Urology in New Hyde Park, N.Y. He said the new study “highlights the value of cancer survivorship programs which focus on increasing physical activity and exercise.”
“It is important to emphasize to patients that even modest, low-impact activity can have very positive effects not only on overall health but also on patients’ perception of their quality of life,” he added.
Phillips noted that regular exercising has many other positive effects.
“Cancer survivors have a higher risk of other conditions, such as cardiovascular disease,” she said. “Walking may also potentially increase survival and impact their quality of life by preventing the onset of those other conditions.”
The findings were published in the Journal of Cancer Survivorship: Research and Practice.
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