Exercise may help reduce cancer cell growth

A researcher at Northeastern University believes that exercise could help fight cancer. Jay Taylor, a physical therapy student, suggests that doctors might be able to prescribe exercise as a treatment for cancer patients in the future. His research indicates that more intense and longer exercise can reduce the growth of cancer cells. Taylor's work involves a mathematical model that explores how exercise affects immune function in relation to cancer. The study, published in the journal Physical Biology, used data from mice running on wheels. The findings support the idea that exercise can benefit cancer patients by decreasing harmful cell growth. Taylor previously worked in biotechnology before focusing on physical therapy. He believes his research is just the beginning of developing personalized exercise prescriptions for patients with cancer. The research team studied how exercise activates natural killer cells, important for fighting tumors. They found that a protein called interleukin (IL) 6 plays a key role. When generated through exercise, IL6 has an anti-inflammatory effect, encouraging natural killer cells to attack cancer cells effectively.