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Three-Year Exercise Program Cuts Colon Cancer Recurrence and Deaths, Study Shows

Experts recommend integrating coaching-led physical activity into standard care after ASCO findings reveal survival gains on par with drug therapies.

image: ©dzika_mrowka| iStock
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Terri Swain-Collins uses a treadmill in the care of physiotherapist Alison MacDonald on May 20, 2025, at Kingston Injury Management, a clinic in Kingston, Ontario, in Canada.
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Overview

  • The global CHALLENGE trial tracked 889 colon cancer survivors across six countries from 2009 to 2024, comparing a three-year structured exercise program with standard health education.
  • Participants in the exercise group experienced 28% fewer cancer recurrences and 37% fewer deaths from any cause over eight years than those receiving only informational support.
  • At five years, disease-free survival was 80.3% in the exercise cohort versus 73.9% in the control group, and eight-year overall survival reached 90% compared to 83%.
  • Oncologists at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting highlighted that these benefits rival some drug therapies and called for exercise coaching to become a routine component of colon cancer treatment.
  • The program’s estimated cost of C$3,000–5,000 per patient is significantly lower than many oncology drugs, bolstering its appeal as a cost-effective intervention.