Findings seen among cancer survivors, even if they were inactive prior to their cancer diagnosis<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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TUESDAY, Feb. 24, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) may lower the risk for cancer mortality among cancer survivors, according to a study published online Feb. 17 in JAMA Network Open<\/em>.<\/p>\n Erika Rees-Punia, Ph.D., from the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, and colleagues examined whether engagement in physical activity after a cancer diagnosis is associated with longer survival. The analysis included pooled data from 17,141 individuals with a history of bladder, endometrial, kidney, lung, oral, ovarian, or rectal cancer.<\/p>\n The researchers found that engagement in low amounts of MVPA (>0 to <7.5 versus 0 MET-hours\/week) was associated with a lower risk for cancer mortality among survivors who had been diagnosed with bladder (hazard ratio [HR], 0.67), endometrial (HR, 0.62), and lung cancer (HR, 0.56). A lower risk for cancer mortality was seen when doubling the recommended MVPA guideline or more (>15 versus 0 MET-hours\/week) for survivors of oral (HR, 0.39 for >22.5 to 30.0 MET-hours\/week) and rectal cancer (HR, 0.57 for >15.0 to 22.5 MET-hours\/week). Even if they were inactive before their diagnosis, lung (HR, 0.58) and rectal (HR, 0.51) cancer survivors who met guidelines after diagnosis had a lower risk for cancer mortality versus those who were inactive before and after their diagnosis.<\/p>\n “Findings suggest that it is important for health care professionals to promote physical activity for longevity and overall health among people living with and beyond cancer,” the authors write.<\/p>\n