• RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

Exercise reduces the risk of colon cancer recurrence

Taking part in a structured exercise program after adjuvant therapy reduced the risk of colon cancer recurrence by 28% in a phase 3 trial — highlighting a powerful strategy for improving recovery and survival.
By
  1. Karen O’Leary

    1. Karen O’Leary is an Associate Research Analysis Editor with Nature Medicine.

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Resection followed by adjuvant chemotherapy is the standard treatment for high-risk stage II and stage III colon cancer, but recurrence affects 20–40% of patients. Observational studies suggest that exercise may confer a survival benefit in this setting, but the inherent limitations of such studies mean that their results are largely inconclusive.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41591-025-00038-4

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