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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Doctors say it's important to be able to understand why some cancer patients do better than others. Researchers have looked at a variety of factors in the past, and now a new study reveals exercise before diagnosis could be important. Study authors report obese and overweight women who exercised the year before they were diagnosed with breast cancer have a higher survival rate.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill conducted a study to look at the relationship between pre-diagnosis physical activity and survival in 1,264 women with breast cancer.
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Study authors found women with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25 who said they were physically active the year before their diagnosis tended to have a better five-year survival rate. However, there was no benefit for women with a BMI less than 25.
Authors conclude, "Given that obesity is a relatively well established as a poor prognostic factor in breast cancer, it is hopeful that activity may provide an opportunity to improve survival in this sub-population."
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
SOURCE: CANCER, published online Sept. 11, 2006
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