Gymnastics for patients with colon cancer can reduce the risk of death at one third, according to a new major international clinical trial.

Researchers said that any kind of training, from swimming to salsa lessons, could help.

These results could change the way in which colon cancer is treated around the world.

Scientists are already investigating whether such exercise programs could improve the chances of surviving people with other diseases, such as breast cancer.

It is a kind of change of mindset, to think of treatment as something we do, not just as something we follow“, Says researcher Professor Vicky Coyle from Queen’s University in Belfast.

In clinical tests, the three -year exercise program began shortly after chemotherapy.

The aim was for people to do at least twice the amount of exercise than the one specified in the instructions for the general population.

This could be a 45-60-minute walk three to four times a week, says Professor Call.

The people who participated in the clinical trials did weekly personalized workouts for the first six months, which then declined once a month.

The clinical trial, which involved 889 patients, included half in the exercise program. The other half were given leaflets that promote a healthy lifestyle.

The results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that after five years:

  • 80% of people who were practicing cancer was compared to 74% in the other group, which means a 28% reduction in the risk of re -emergence of cancer or creating new

Meanwhile, eight years after initial treatment for cancer:

  • 10% of people who participated in the exercise program died compared to 17% in the group who received only wellness tips, marking 37% lower risk of death

The exact reason why exercise has this beneficial effect is unknown, but some of the possible indications include the effect on growth hormones, levels of inflammation in the body and the mode of functioning of the immune system – which protects the body from cancer.

Dr. Joe Henson, of the University of Leicester, said the results were “exciting”.

Added: ‘I saw firsthand that this reduced fatigue, improved people’s mood and reinforced their physical strength

We know that physical activity regulates several basic biological processes that could explain these results and further research will help us to reveal why exercise has such a positive impact

Colon cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the United Kingdom, with about 31,800 people diagnosed each year.

Caroline Geraghty, from the Cancer Research UK, said: “This test has the ability to transform clinical practice, but only if health services have the necessary funding and staff to apply it to patients.”