Evidence suggests regular exercise can help tackle cancer, with a recent study finding that cancer-fighting biological changes might be triggered in the body after just 10 minutes of intense cycling, reports Science Alert.
This burst of activity is enough to release beneficial molecules into the blood, the international team of researchers found, with the molecules speeding up DNA repair and dialling down genes related to cancer growth.
This results in a shift in blood chemistry, triggered by exercise, that potentially slows the growth and spread of cancer. This might be something we can harness or exploit to develop new treatments – in this case, for colon cancer.
“What’s remarkable is that exercise doesn’t just benefit healthy tissues, it sends powerful signals through the bloodstream that can directly influence thousands of genes in cancer cells,” says clinical exercise physiologist Sam Orange, from Newcastle University in the UK, which led the study.
“It’s an exciting insight because it opens the door to find ways that mimic or augment the biological effects of exercise, potentially improving cancer treatment and, crucially, patient outcomes.”
Thirty overweight or obese volunteers aged 50-78 were recruited for the study (carrying extra weight is associated with higher cancer risk). After a quick warm-up, they completed an intense cycling exercise on a stationary bike lasting about 10 minutes.
Using blood serum samples collected before and after the exercise, the researchers identified how the molecular mix changed. These serum samples were then applied to lab-grown colon cancer cells, revealing some potential anti-cancer effects.
While exercise has previously been shown to be an effective way to slow colon cancer and help prevent its return after surgery, this study provides a detailed look at the biological pathways involved, which in turn opens the door to exploring new treatments.
In the meantime, it’s another indication of how important exercise is for our overall health and well-being. Even if you can only fit in a few minutes every day, there’s a good chance it’ll make a difference to your mental and physical state.
“Even a single workout can make a difference,” said Orange.
“One bout of exercise, lasting just 10 minutes, sends powerful signals to the body. It’s a reminder that every step, every session, counts when it comes to doing your best to protect your health.”
There are limitations here: the effects of the blood serum were tested only in lab-grown cancer cells, not people, and only the short-term effects of a single bout of exercise were measured.
However, there are enough encouraging signs here to suggest that short but vigorous bouts of exercise – or drugs that somehow stimulate the same effects in the body – could be a promising new way of slowing colon cancer.
In the US alone, there are more than 100 000 new cases of colon cancer every year, and more than 50 000 deaths. Colorectal cancer, which includes colon and rectal cancers, is actually the second most common cause of cancer death in the US right now.
“In the future, these insights could lead to new therapies that imitate the beneficial effects of exercise on how cells repair damaged DNA and use fuel for energy,” noted Orange.
The research was published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Study details
Exercise serum promotes DNA damage repair and remodels gene expression in colon cancer cells
Samuel Orange, Emily Dodd, Sharanya Nath et al.
Published in International Journal of Cancer on 12 December 2025
Abstract
Exercise protects against colon cancer progression, but the underlying biological mechanisms remain unclear. One proposed mechanism is the release of bioactive molecules into the systemic circulation during exercise, which may act directly on tumour cells to suppress DNA damage, inhibit proliferation, and preserve genomic stability. Here, we profiled the serum proteomic response to acute exercise and evaluated the effects of exercise-conditioned human serum on DNA damage kinetics and transcriptomic signatures in colon cancer cells. Blood samples were collected from 30 overweight/obese adults before and immediately after a maximal incremental cycling test. LoVo cells were exposed to pre- or post-exercise serum, treated with 2 Gy irradiation, and assessed for γ-H2AX foci over 24 h. Acute exercise increased the relative abundance of 13 proteins in serum (p < 0.05), including interleukin-6 (IL-6) and its soluble receptor IL-6R, reflecting systemic activation of acute-phase immune and vascular signalling. Compared to pre-exercise serum, post-exercise serum significantly reduced γ-H2AX foci in LoVo cells at 6 h (p = 0.010) and decreased the area under the curve (p = 0.014), indicating accelerated DNA repair. Post-exercise serum also increased expression of the DNA repair gene PNKP, with and without irradiation (p = 0.007 and p = 0.029, respectively). Transcriptomic analysis revealed upregulation of mitochondrial energy metabolism and downregulation of cell cycle and proteasome-related pathways. These findings suggest that acute exercise elicits systemic responses that enhance DNA repair and shift colon cancer cells towards a less proliferative transcriptomic state under sublethal genotoxic stress, offering a potential mechanistic explanation for the protective effects of exercise against colorectal carcinogenesis.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Exercise may cut cancer mortality – SA study
Short bursts of activity can cut cancer risks – Australian cohort study
High Intensity Training regimen may inhibit prostate cancer growth — ERASE trial