A recent study highlights the remarkable potential of a single bout of physical activity to enhance the body's defenses against cancer. The research, which involved 32 breast cancer survivors, demonstrated that a 45-minute session of either resistance training or high-intensity interval training (HIIT) led to a significant increase of beneficial proteins in the bloodstream, known as myokines.
These myokines play a crucial role in cancer defense. When introduced to breast cancer samples in laboratory settings, these messenger proteins were shown to suppress tumor growth by as much as 30%. This compelling evidence suggests that exercise can be a vital component in the fight against cancer.
According to lead author and exercise researcher Francesco Bettariga from Edith Cowan University in Australia, the findings underscore the effectiveness of both forms of exercise in generating anti-cancer myokines among breast cancer survivors. “The results from this study are excellent motivators to add exercise as standard care in the treatment of cancer,” Bettariga stated.
The study meticulously analyzed the blood samples of participants for myokines at three different intervals: before exercise, immediately after, and 30 minutes following the workout. Participants in the resistance training group engaged in exercises such as chest presses, seated rows, shoulder presses, lat pulldowns, leg presses, leg extensions, leg curls, and lunges. Conversely, those in the HIIT group performed a series of rigorous activities on stationary cycles, treadmills, rowers, and cross-trainers.
The research revealed that both exercise regimens triggered a short-term increase in three specific types of myokines: decorin, IL-6, and SPARC. These proteins are secreted by skeletal muscles in response to physical activity, contributing to muscle growth and fat burning. Moreover, they are recognized for their anti-inflammatory properties, which could be beneficial in combating various tumors, including breast cancer.
Previous studies had established the anti-cancer effects of myokines in preclinical and experimental settings; however, this study uniquely focuses on their impact among cancer survivors. Notably, the research addressed triple-negative breast cancer cells, which lack hormone receptors and were not anticipated to react to hormonal changes induced by exercise. Surprisingly, the experimental results indicated that these cancer cells were indeed influenced by exercise-derived myokines.
The findings of this study contribute to a growing body of evidence that suggests myokines may possess the capability to combat cancer. The authors concluded, “Our findings demonstrate that both resistance training and high-intensity interval training elicit acute changes in circulating myokines and reduced cancer cell growth, which may contribute to proposed biological pathways involved in cancer control.”
However, the researchers emphasized that further studies are essential to assess the long-term implications of these myokine responses on disease recurrence in breast cancer survivors. This pioneering research opens new avenues for integrating exercise into cancer treatment protocols and highlights the significance of physical activity in enhancing recovery outcomes for cancer patients.
