Colon cancer affects the colon, which includes the rectum and large intestine. The American Cancer Society considers colon cancer to be a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Fortunately, it is treatable with early detection. It is critical to include exercise in a follow-up care plan since the National Cancer Institute says that regular exercise reduces the risk of recurrence and mortality by up to 50 percent. Leg exercises are particularly important if surgery, such as a bowel resection, was involved.
Post-surgical Recovery
If you have had surgery, your leg exercises begin on the very same day. In the first few hours after surgery, your legs will be put into special sleeves that mechanically tighten and relax to increase circulation, which helps prevent blood clots. However, you can expect to be instructed to wiggle your toes and raise each leg at least 10 times every hour while resting in bed. You will also be encouraged to walk as soon as possible, ideally the day of or the day following surgery. In addition, the standard protocol for nurses giving post-surgical care for colon cancer patients is to assist the patient perform deep-breathing, coughing and leg exercises every two hours in bed.
Increased Survival Rate
Jeffrey A. Meyerhardt, M.D., M.P.H., and colleagues at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston conducted an observational study that involved more than 800 people with stage III colon cancer. In the Aug. 1, 2006 issue of the "Journal of Clinical Oncology," the researchers reported that survival rate significantly improved in patients who regularly exercised. The accounts of physical activity provided by the patients were converted into metabolic equivalent task hours, or MET, which varied according to the intensity of exercise. Three MET hours, for instance, represented one hour of walking at a moderate pace. Although six or more hours of walking showed clear benefit, patients who spent 18 to 26.9 MET hours per week walking, jogging, stair climbing or using a stair-stepping machine reduced their chance of death from colon cancer by 49 percent.
Reduced Reoccurrence
The results of another study led by Meyerhardt published in the same issue as the study cited above involved 573 women with stage I to III colon cancer. This study showed that the women who engaged in 18 or more MET hours of physical activity decreased their risk of dying from colon cancer by 61 percent. The researchers also found that this level of exercise reduced the risk of death from any other cause by 57 percent.
Stress Reduction
Coping with cancer is commonly accompanied by emotional stress that may produce depression, insomnia, irritability, appetite loss and difficulty concentrating. Exercise that gets the arms and legs moving, such as gentle stretching, dance and movement therapy, may help ease this stress.
References
- National Center for Biotechnology Information: Colon Cancer
- National Cancer Institute: Studies Suggest Exercise Improves Colorectal Cancer Outcomes
- Cedars-Sinai: Bowel Resection Patient Care
- Nursing Central: Colorectal Cancer
- PubMed.gov; Impact of Physical Activity On Cancer Recurrence and Survival in Patients with Stage III Colon Cancer: Findings from CALGB 89803; Meyerhardt JA et al; August 2006
- PubMed.gov; Physical Activity and Survival After Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis; Meyerhardt JA et al; August 2006
