The role of exercise in cancer reduction
f you’re age 50 or older
and haven’t had a screening
colonoscopy, it’s time
to take action for your health
and be checked for colorectal
cancer, the third most commonly
diagnosed cancer in
the United States.
According to the American
Cancer Society, the colorectal
cancer death rate has
been falling for more than two
decades, due to an increase in
the number of people who are
being screened for the disease
in its early stages when
it’s most treatable. It is especially
important to have regular
colonoscopies starting at
age 50, or earlier if you have a
family history of the disease.
Many people don’t know they
have colorectal cancer until
the disease reaches its later
stages when it may be more
difficult to treat. Early detection
offers a better chance of a
good outcome.
“Individuals can make
certain changes to their lifestyle—
exercising more, losing
weight, quitting smoking,
and eating more fruits, vegetables
and whole grains—to
reduce their risk of developing
colorectal cancer, but colonoscopy
is one of the most important
components of prevention,”
says Smruti Mohanty,
M.D., chief of gastroenterology
and hepatology at NewYork-
Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist
Hospital. “The benefit of
the procedure is that it allows
a gastroenterologist to accomplish
two things at once: finding
COURIER L 32 IFE, MARCH 1–7, 2019 PS
potentially precancerous
abnormal growths—called
polyps—and removing them
before they become malignant.”
For many people, the
colonoscopy procedure begins
with a discussion with a
gastroenterologist. He or she
will provide detailed instructions
about how to prepare for
the procedure, which must be
followed to help ensure the exam’s
effectiveness.
During a colonoscopy, most
patients receive medications
to achieve conscious sedation,
a state of drowsiness in which
they are awake and pain is
controlled. During the procedure,
the gastroenterologist
inserts a scope into the anus
and carefully maneuvers it
to the colon. Using a camera
attached to the scope, he or
she searches for polyps and
other abnormalities. If the
gastroenterologist finds polyps,
they are usually removed
and sent to a pathologist for
examination. The gastroenterologist
also takes samples
of other suspicious lesions or
tissue surrounding polyps
and sends them for biopsy. A
colonoscopy typically lasts 15
minutes to 30 minutes, with
patients able to return home
the same day—not much of
a hassle for a procedure that
could save your life.
“Colorectal cancer is one of
the most common cancers in
the United States, but colonoscopy
makes it one of the most
preventable,” says Dr. Mohanty.
“Simply put, there is
no reason to avoid having this
procedure.” Speak with a gastroenterologist
about your
risk for developing colorectal
cancer and when you should
have a colonoscopy.
To make an appointment
with a gastroenterologist New-
York-Presbyterian Brooklyn
Methodist Hospital, please call
718.499.CARE
Health
Cancer can strike without warning.
Although there is no way
to prevent cancer, there are
certain measures people can take
to help reduce their risk, and exercise
is one of the more effective
ways to do just that.
The National Cancer Institute
notes that there is substantial evidence
to support the idea that
higher levels of physical activity
are linked to lower risks of several
cancers, including colon cancer, endometrial
cancer, and breast cancer.
In addition, a study published
in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine,
found that leisure-time physical
activity was associated with a
significantly decreased risk of not
only these three cancers, but also
esophageal cancer, liver cancer,
stomach cancer, kidney cancer, and
myeloid leukemia, among others.
As many as one-third of cancerrelated
deaths can be linked to obesity
and sedentary lifestyles, so
it’s easy to see the relationship between
exercise and a reduced cancer
risk.
One of the more important ways
that exercise may lower cancer risk
is through the reduction of estrogen
and insulin levels in the body.
Women with high estrogen levels
in their blood have increased risk
for breast cancer. Although estrogen
is a reproductive hormone, it
is also contained in fat cells. Exercise
can help burn fat and lower
the amount of blood estrogen in the
body, thereby lowering a woman’s
risk of developing breast cancer.
Exercise also can decrease the
potentially harmful effects of obesity,
which are linked to the development
of insulin resistance. According
to the study, “The Links
Between Insulin Resistance, Diabetes,
and Cancer” by Dr. Etan Orgel
and Dr. Steven D. Mittelman,
although the precise mechanisms
and pathways are uncertain, it is
becoming clear that hyperinsulinemia
(insulin resistance), and
possibly sustained hyperglycemia,
are important regulators of not
only the development of cancer but
also of treatment outcome. Insulin
resistance has been linked to the
development of tumors in cases of
breast and colon cancers.
The National Cancer Institute
states that exercise also can reduce
cancer risk by:
• Reducing inf lammation.
• Altering the metabolism of bile
acids in the gastrointestinal tract,
helping to decrease exposure of the
body to suspected carcinogens.
• Improving immune system
function.
• Boosting mood and feelings of
well-being.
Additional research is needed to
study the link between exercise and
cancer risk. However, based on observational
studies, existing studies
support the notion that regular
exercise can go a long way toward
reducing cancer risk.
Exercise is one of the more effective ways to reduce your risk of developing cancer.
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