Exercise and Prostate Cancer

Exercise and prostate cancer:

Did you know that it is estimated that 1 in 6 males will be diagnosed with prostate cancer by the time they are 85? Prostate cancer is an abnormal growth of cells in the prostate gland. Prostate cancer can develop relatively slowly, however it can be detected early through a blood test (the prostate specific androgen test or PSA). This blood test measures the PSA level, which is used to see if there are any changes in the prostate. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting Australian men. 

Exercise can play a role both before surgery to improve recovery and outcomes, and after surgery and during treatment.

Exercise can also: 

  • Reduce symptoms 
  • Lessen the side effects of radiation and other therapies
  • Improve psychological wellbeing 
  • Increasing survival rate 

There is research now suggesting that regular exercise after a cancer diagnosis will increase cancer survival rates by 50-60%, with the strongest effect for several cancers, including prostate. Exercise is helpful for managing the side effects for those undergoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT); those on ADT are at a higher risk of muscle mass loss, osteoporosis, weight gain and diabetes. Exercise can mitigate bone and muscle mass loss, as well as decreasing the risk of developing osteoporosis and reduce the risk of a fracture.  Exercise can also reduce the risk factors associated with metabolic disorders; reducing weight, blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

So you might ask, what type of exercise is best? The answer is, there is no best type of exercise. Exercise is often individualised, and there is no one best program for cancer recovery. A combination of both aerobic (building cardiovascular fitness) and resistance (building strength) is often prescribed, but we need to account for several factors in our exercise prescription. 

Source: 

Exercise Right, 2021. Men’s Health E-book. https://exerciseright.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/ESSA_Exercise-Mens-Health-eBook_2021.pdf 

Exercise is Medicine, 2014. Prostate Cancer and Exercise. https://www.pcfa.org.au/media/770546/2014-Prostate-Cancer-and-Exercise-BRIEF.pdf Cancer Council Australia, n.d, Prostate Cancer https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/types-of-cancer/prostate-cancer#