Exercise boosts tumor-killing white blood cells in breast cancer patients

Turun yliopisto Jul 3 2024

The balance of different types of white blood cells determines whether the immune system works to destroy cancer or to support it. If there are more cancer-destroying cells than cancer-promoting cells in the tumor area, the body is more capable of fighting cancer." Twenty breast cancer patients who had just been diagnosed and therefore had not yet started their cancer treatments participated in the study.

During the exercise, the amount of several different white blood cell types increased in the bloodstream. The number of cancer-destroying cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells increased the most. On the other hand, the number of cancer-promoting regulatory T cells and myeloid derived suppressor cells did not change.

"We found that during the exercise, the number and proportion of cancer-destroying cells increases in the bloodstream, while the proportion of cancer-promoting cells either stays the same or decreases. However, it is still unclear whether these changes seen in the bloodstream also lead to changes in the white blood cell counts in tumor area," says Koivula and continues:

Health Health Latest News, Health Health Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Exercise in natural settings may provide more benefits than indoor exerciseHealth practitioners and fitness buffs have long known that regular physical activity offers numerous health benefits, including the prevention of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, some cancers and osteoporosis.
Source: medical_xpress - 🏆 101. / 51 Read more »

Finnish researchers discover mechanism behind breast cancer cell reactivationTreatment outcomes for breast cancer have become better over the years, but proportion of breast cancers still recur even after long periods without signs of cancer remaining dormant in the body.
Source: NewsMedical - 🏆 19. / 71 Read more »