B018 Exercise VS Breast Cancer : What you need to know!

Introduction

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women worldwide, and its rates are increasing, especially in developed nations. While genetics play a role, lifestyle choices—including exercise—can significantly impact both the risk of developing breast cancer and the success of treatment.

So, what does the latest research tell us about how exercise helps? And how can everyday movement reduce risk, improve treatment outcomes, and support recovery? Let’s dive into the science.

What the Research Shows

This research review explores the deep connection between exercise and breast cancer, explaining how physical activity affects risk factors, treatment, and recovery.

1. Pathogenesis of Breast Cancer (How Breast Cancer Develops)

🔬 Breast cancer is caused by a mix of genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors.

Genetic Predisposition: Mutations in genes like BRCA1 and BRCA2 increase the risk but account for a small percentage of cases.
Hormonal Imbalance: High exposure to oestrogens and related growth factors can promote tumour growth.
Environmental Factors: Diet, lactation, exercise, and alcohol consumption can impact risk, and these environmental factors are modifiable!

💡 Where does exercise fit in?

✅ Exercise doesn’t change your genes, but it reduces the impact of environmental risk factors by regulating hormones and reducing inflammation.

2. How Exercise Helps at the Cellular Level

🧬 Obesity & Fat Tissue (Adiposity)

· Obesity is a significant risk factor, contributing to 15-20% of ALL cancer deaths.

There is a direct correlation between excess weight and breast cancer occurrence in Postmenopausal women as opposed to premenopausal women where no direct association has been found.

“Unlike risk factors like genetics, menopause, and age—which you can’t change—being overweight is a risk factor you can control and prevent”

Being Overweight can lead to cancer growth in 3 vehicles:

1. Insulin resistance (which helps cancer cells grow)

2. Hormones from fat cells (adipokines) & long-term inflammation

3. Low oxygen levels in fat tissue (which creates a cancer-friendly environment)

These will be explained next!

💉 Insulin Resistance

High insulin levels (common in obesity) can stimulate cancer cell growth and Insulin resistance is connected with other breast cancer risk factors.
Exercise improves insulin sensitivity, reducing excess insulin and preventing cancer-friendly conditions.

🔥 Inflammation & Adipokines

Fat tissue releases pro-inflammatory chemicals that can fuel cancer.
Exercise lowers chronic inflammation, creating a healthier environment in the body.

🩸 Blood Supply & Oxygen Flow (Adipose Tissue Hypoxia)

Fat tissue can become oxygen-deprived, triggering inflammation.
Exercise improves circulation and helps the body regulate healthy oxygen flow.

🧪 Oestrogen & Other Hormones

· Oestrogen is a powerful hormone that helps breast cells grow, but too much of it can damage DNA and increase the risk of cancer. After menopause, fat tissue becomes the main source of oestrogen in the body. Exercise helps reduce body fat, which lowers oestrogen levels and decreases cancer risk.

🛡 Oxidative Stress & DNA Protection

Cancer thrives in environments with too much oxidative stress (damage to cells from free radicals).
Moderate exercise reduces oxidative stress and strengthens the body’s antioxidant defences.

A visual representation of the exercise benefits in reducing breast cancer risk factors

"💡 Bottom Line: Exercise reverses many of the biological conditions that increase the risk of breast cancer."

3. Who Benefits the Most from Exercise?

👩‍🦳 Menopausal Status

Postmenopausal women have a higher breast cancer risk (due to increased oestrogen from fat tissue).
Exercise dramatically lowers risk in this group.

🌍 Race & Ethnicity

Women of colour may experience stronger protective effects from exercise.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family History

Exercise has a significant risk-reduction benefit in women without a family history of breast cancer.

"💡 Bottom Line: When it comes to reducing risk factors for breast cancer, ALL women benefit from exercise, but some groups may see even greater protection."

4. Exercise as a Powerful Tool for Breast Cancer Prevention

This review shows that the more you exercise, the lower your risk of breast cancer.

For postmenopausal women, regular exercise reduces breast cancer risk by 20% to 80%.
For premenopausal women, the effect is smaller, but exercise still helps.
Overall, exercise lowers breast cancer risk by about 15-20% for all women.
Starting young matters—being active in childhood and teenage years can help prevent breast cancer by keeping body fat lower and reducing exposure to certain hormones.

💪 Types of Exercise That Work Best

Recreational & household activities [performed at leisure time for enjoyment] reduce risk by up to 21%.
Occupational activity [at work] reduces risk by 18%.
Walking or cycling as transport reduces risk by 13%.

📊 More exercise = More protection.

The more you exercise, the greater the protection against breast cancer. Studies show that just 2-3 hours of exercise per week can reduce risk by 7%, while 6.5 hours per week can lower it by almost 30%. Vigorous exercise (like running or intense workouts) offers slightly more protection (26% risk reduction) than moderate exercise (like brisk walking, at 22%).

The biggest benefit comes from staying active consistently over your lifetime, with moderate to vigorous activity being the most effective. 🚀💪

5. How Exercise Helps During Breast Cancer Treatment

Cancer treatments can cause side effects—but exercise can help manage them.

🚀 Key Benefits of Exercise During Treatment:

✅ Fights muscle loss & fatigue

✅ Reduces chemotherapy’s heart damage (cardiotoxicity)

✅ Helps with weight control

✅ Maintains bone density

✅ Improves mental health (reduces depression & anxiety)

"💡 Bottom Line: Exercise helps minimize treatment side effects and improves quality of life."

6. Exercise for Survivors & Long-Term Recovery

Survivors often deal with lingering side effects like:

❌ Fatigue

❌ Weight gain

❌ Sleep disturbances

❌ Joint pain

🏋️ Best Types of Exercise for Survivors:

Aerobic exercise (walking, swimming, dancing)
Resistance training (weightlifting, bodyweight exercises)
Combination exercises (yoga, Pilates, HIIT)

"💡 Bottom Line: Staying active improves recovery and reduces the risk of cancer recurrence.**Always speak with your medical professional to work out a plan thats best for you."

Facts About the Study

📌 Published in: A scientific review on breast cancer and exercise October 2017.

📌 Participants: Women across different age groups and ethnicities.

📌 Key focus areas: Prevention, treatment support, and post-treatment care.

📌 Exercise types studied: Aerobic (walking, running), resistance training (weights), and mixed routines

Study Limitations

🔹 Individual differences: Not all women respond the same way to exercise.

🔹 Lack of precise guidelines: More research is needed on the best exercise “dosage” for different breast cancer subtypes.

🔹 Long-term effects unclear: We need more studies to confirm how exercise impacts long-term survival rates.

Research to Action: How You Can Apply This to Your Life

💡 Easy ways to reduce your breast cancer risk today:

✅ Take daily walks – even 20 minutes a day makes a difference. If possible, focus your walks to be taken after your main meals particularly your evening meal.

✅ Incorporate strength training – resistance exercises lower oestrogen levels.

✅ Limit your alcohol intake – Alcohol is a carcinogen and consumption increases your risk of breast cancer.

✅ Make it fun – dance, swim, or join a fitness class The key is enjoying it enough to keep coming back! You must make it a part of your life.

Boost Summary

🚀 The research is clear: Exercise is one of the most powerful tools you can use against breast cancer. Its also something that is COMPLETELY IN YOUR CONTROL!

Whether you want to lower your risk, support treatment, or improve recovery, staying active can dramatically improve your health.

📢 Your challenge:Start with small, sustainable changes—walk a little more, move a little more. Your body (and future self) will thank you.

Referencing

[Kalliopi Adraskela, Eleftheria Veisaki, Michael Koutsilieris, Anastassios Philippou] (2016) ‘Physical Exercise Positively Influences Breast Cancer Evolution’, Clinical Breast Cancer, 16(4), pp. 256-270.