Exercise Boosts Anti-Cancer Myokines in Breast Cancer ⁢Survivors, Study Finds

(Image: A figure showing a person exercising, with a caption referencing the study: “figure 1: Exercise⁤ and Myokine Response. (Bettariga et al., 2022)⁢ doi.org/10.1007/s11033-022-07821-3”)

For breast cancer survivors, maintaining ⁢physical activity is often⁤ recommended, but the biological mechanisms behind those benefits‍ are still being uncovered. New‍ research published in ⁣ Breast Cancer research and Treatment reveals that both resistance training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) trigger a surge in⁣ beneficial proteins ⁢called myokines, which can directly inhibit the growth of cancer cells – even those considered resistant to traditional therapies.

Myokines: Muscle’s⁤ Secret Weapon Against Cancer

skeletal muscle⁢ isn’t just for‍ movement; it’s an active endocrine organ.⁢ During exercise,muscles release myokines into the bloodstream. These proteins act as signaling molecules, communicating with other tissues ⁢and organs to promote growth, regulate⁣ inflammation, and even combat disease.

“We’ve ⁢known for some time that⁤ myokines have anti-inflammatory⁣ effects and can suppress tumor growth in preclinical ‍and experimental settings,” explains lead researcher. “what we didn’t know was if these effects translated to cancer survivors.”

The study focused on three key myokines: decorin, IL-6, and SPARC. These have all demonstrated anti-cancer properties in laboratory studies, but this is among⁤ the first‍ to demonstrate their acute⁣ increase in ‍ human cancer survivors ⁣following exercise.

How the Study Worked: Resistance Training‍ vs. HIIT

researchers meticulously tracked myokine levels in the blood of participants before, immediately after, and 30 minutes after both resistance training and HIIT workouts.

Resistance Training: Participants completed exercises like chest presses, seated rows,⁤ shoulder‍ presses, lat pulldowns, leg presses, leg extensions, leg curls, and lunges.
High-Intensity Interval Training ⁤(HIIT): This group⁢ performed intervals⁣ on stationary cycles, ‍treadmills, rowers, and cross-trainers.

The results where‍ striking. Both types of exercise led to⁣ a short-term increase in all three myokines studied. ⁣More ⁣importantly, the researchers then⁢ tested the impact of these exercise-induced myokines on triple-negative breast cancer cells in a lab setting.

Targeting Triple-Negative Breast⁢ Cancer: A Particularly Aggressive Form

Triple-negative‍ breast cancer is a particularly challenging subtype because its cells lack common hormone‍ receptors (estrogen, progesterone, and HER2). This means they don’t respond to hormonal therapies often used to treat other ⁤breast cancers.

Despite this ⁣resistance, the study found that myokines ⁣released during exercise did ⁢impact the growth of these cancer cells in the lab. This suggests a novel pathway for exercise to benefit even the most aggressive forms of breast cancer.

“This is meaningful as it suggests that ⁤exercise can impact cancer cell growth ⁢through mechanisms independent of⁣ hormonal influences,” says[ResearcherName/Title-[ResearcherName/Title-[ResearcherName/Title-[ResearcherName/Title-add if available]. “It opens up possibilities for ‍developing exercise-based interventions specifically tailored to improve‍ outcomes for triple-negative breast cancer patients.”

The Growing Evidence for Exercise and Cancer Prevention & Treatment

This⁤ research adds to a growing body of‍ evidence highlighting the powerful connection between physical activity and cancer control. While the exact mechanisms are still being investigated, myokines are emerging as key players.

The authors emphasize that this study ⁣demonstrates acute changes in myokine levels and cancer cell growth. Further research is crucial to determine the long-term effects⁣ of regular exercise on disease recurrence and ⁤overall survival⁤ in breast cancer survivors.

“Our findings ‍demonstrate ⁢that both resistance training and high-intensity ⁣interval training elicit acute ‍changes in circulating‍ myokines and reduced cancer cell growth, which may contribute to proposed⁤ biological pathways involved in cancer control,” the authors conclude. “However, further research is needed to ‍determine the long-term⁢ relevance of these responses for disease recurrence in breast cancer survivors.”

Resources:

Bettariga, S., et al. (2022). Mole. Cinema. Rope. doi.org/10.1007/s11033-022-07821-3
[Link to article on cancer – ScienceAlert]

* [Link to myokine secretion study – endrev/bnaa0