Can exercise prevent prostate cancer spreading?

Grant information

Institution – University of Sheffield
Researcher – Dr Ning Wang
Grant award - £199,994
Duration of funding – 2017-2019
Status - Complete
Reference – RIA16-ST2-005

Why did we fund this project?

• If prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it often grows in the bones.
• Cancer that's spread to the bones can be painful and challenging to treat, with current therapies aiming to keep the cancer under control and manage any symptoms.
• Dr Wang wanted to find out whether exercise can reduce the likelihood of prostate cancer spreading to and growing in the bones.

What did the team do?

• Prostate cancer cells were injected into the bloodstream of mice to see if any of the cancer cells moved to or grew in the bones.
• The mice had one leg treated to mimic load-bearing exercise, allowing the team to compare cancer growth between loaded and non-loaded legs.
• The team also investigated how other activities, such as exercise on a treadmill, affected the spread of cancer to the bones.

What did the team achieve?

• The team found that exercise did not prevent the prostate cancer cells moving to the bones.
• However, the cancer cells grew significantly more slowly in the bones of the mice's loaded legs compared to non-loaded legs.
• Exercise on a treadmill also reduced the likelihood of prostate cancer cells growing in the bones.

What does this mean for men?

• This exciting research suggests that load-bearing exercise may help slow the growth of prostate cancer that has spread to the bones.
• Exercise and an active lifestyle could benefit men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, helping them live longer, healthier lives.
• Further research will explore how different types of exercise affect cancer growth in men, with the goal of developing exercise programmes that reduce the risk of cancer spreading to the bones.