Association between physical activity and mortality in colorectal cancer: A meta-Analysis of prospective cohort studies

Several prospective cohort studies have examined the association between prediagnosis and/or postdiagnosis physical activity (PA) on colorectal cancer outcomes and reported conflicting results. To quantitatively assess this association, we have conducted a meta-Analysis of prospective studies. Databases and reference lists of relevant studies were searched using MEDLINE and EMBASE up to January 2013. Pooled relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random-effects models. For this meta-Analysis, a total of seven prospective cohort studies were included. The analysis included 5,299 patients for prediagnosis PA and 6,348 patients for postdiagnosis PA, followed up over a period ranging from 3.8 to 11.9 years. The analyses showed that patients who participated in any amount of PA before diagnosis had a RR of 0.75 (95% CI: 0.65-0.87, p < 0.001) for colorectal cancer-specific mortality compared to patients who did not participate in any PA. Those who participated in high PA before diagnosis (vs. low PA) had a RR of 0.70 (95% CI: 0.56-0.87, p = 0.002). Similarly, patients who participated in any PA after diagnosis had a RR of 0.74 (95% CI: 0.58-0.95, p = 0.02) for colorectal cancer-specific mortality compared to patients who did not participate in any PA. Those who participated in high PA after diagnosis (vs. low PA) had a RR of 0.65 (95% CI: 0.47-0.92, p = 0.01). Similar inverse associations of prediagnosis or postdiagnosis PA were found for all-cause mortality. In conclusion, both prediagnosis and postdiagnosis PA were associated with reduced colorectal cancer-specific mortality and all-cause mortality. What's new? Everyone knows exercise is good for you, and it's been shown that physical activity reduces the risk of developing colorectal cancer. A new study investigated what impact exercise has on colorectal cancer outcomes. The authors included a large sample size from seven prospective cohort studies and compared levels of physical activity before and after diagnosis with mortality from all causes after diagnosis with colorectal cancer. They found that physical activity, undertaken either before or after diagnosis, reduces colon cancer mortality.