Colon cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer in men and the third in women in Canada. And while treatments like surgery and chemotherapy save lives, they don’t guarantee cancer won’t come back. But a major Canadian-led study just showed that something simple and accessible—exercise—can make a real difference in keeping colon cancer from returning.
That’s right. Regular physical activity isn’t just good for your mood or heart—it’s now being considered an actual treatment for colon cancer survivors. It’s the first time a clinical trial has proven what many in the health community have long suspected: movement matters more than we realized.
What the study found
The study, called the CHALLENGE trial, followed 889 colon cancer survivors who had already gone through surgery and chemotherapy for stage II or III colon cancer. Half of the participants received general health advice. The other half followed a three-year, personalized exercise program with support from trainers.
The results were impossible to ignore:
- A 28% drop in cancer recurrence.
- A 37% decrease in the risk of dying over the next eight years.
And we’re not talking about extreme fitness routines here. The exercise plan focused mostly on brisk walking—45 to 60 minutes, three to four times a week. In other words, movement that’s realistic and doable for most people, especially with the right support.
That’s amazing! But how does it work?
According to a recent CBC radio morning interview with Toronto family physician Dr. Peter Lin, there are many ways in which exercise helps fight – and prevent – colon cancer. As Dr. Lin explained, “exercise reduces polyp formation which means less polyps, which means less colon cancer in the future.”
Another important factor raised by Dr. Lin is that exercise helps stimulate the immune system and cuts off blood flow to cancer cells. Additionally, insulin-like growth factor is of concern for cancer patients.
“Another theory has to do with Insulin-like growth factor or IGF. This molecule looks like insulin and tells cells to grow. This is great when you’re a kid, there’s lots of IGF and you grow and then once you’re done growing, the IGF levels go down to a much lower level. Now in cancer, if there’s more IGF, the cancer cells will also grow faster. And yes, as it turns out, exercise lowers IGF and that’s how it controls the cancer growth” said Dr. Lin.
Listen to the full interview with Dr. Lin here.
“Exercise is a treatment.”
That’s not a motivational slogan—it’s a quote from Dr. Kerry Courneya, co-chair of the study and professor at the University of Alberta. “Exercise is no longer just a quality-of-life intervention for cancer patients that can be offered when and where possible,” says Courneya. “It is a treatment for colon cancer that must be made available to all patients.”
Dr. Christopher Booth, oncologist and co-chair of the study from Queen’s University in Kingston, agrees. “This is the first clinical trial in the world designed to answer whether exercise can improve cancer survival—and the results are clear,” he says. “The next step is to put this into practice.”
What this means for you (or someone you love)
If you or someone you care about has survived colon cancer, this study adds a powerful message: you can take steps to protect your health beyond hospital walls. Being proactive doesn’t mean doing it all alone—it means making use of every tool that can help, including movement.
Yet fewer than 22% of Canadian cancer survivors get enough exercise to make a difference. That number needs to change, and studies like this help push the needle by giving patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals real data to act on.
Help to get moving
Not sure where to start? You don’t have to join a gym or buy fancy equipment. Walking is enough. So is swimming, cycling, or dancing in your living room—anything that gets you moving and fits into your life.
If you need more structure or support, ask your oncologist or care team about cancer rehab or survivorship programs. In Toronto, for example, the University Health Network’s Getting Back on Track program helps survivors ease into physical activity with professional guidance.
Programs like this need to become more widely available—and covered by provincial health systems. But in the meantime, knowing that exercise can reduce the risk of colon cancer coming back puts the power in your hands.
The bottom line
Colon cancer survivors deserve every possible advantage. While treatments like chemo and surgery are essential, movement is now firmly on the list of things that can help you live longer—and better.
And once again, we’re reminded: proactive patients who use every tool available—medical and lifestyle—can play a powerful role in shaping their own health story.
~ Read more from The Health Insider ~
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