Can exercise help prevent bowel cancer returning?

Dr Vicky Coyle

Each year in the UK, around 42,300 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer. For many of these people, their treatment will be initially successful, only for the cancer to return.

Dr Vicky Coyle is testing a new idea that might help improve survival for these people. 
Intriguingly, there is some evidence that patients who are physically active have a greater chance of surviving cancer, and a better quality of life afterwards. But no study has been big enough to see if this is really true. 

Dr Coyle is leading the UK part of a huge multinational study where patients will take part in routine physical exercise and their cancer outcomes will be measured. If this study is successful, it could change the way people are treated worldwide as well as changing NHS and government policy. 

The CHALLENGE-UK trial is being supported by funding for Stand Up to Cancer.