In 2022, approximately 20 million cancer cases were newly diagnosed and 9.7 million people died from the disease worldwide, according to the American Cancer Society’s Global Cancer Facts and Figures.
By 2050, that number is expected to reach 35 million based on population growth alone. For many survivors, the question of how to stay healthier after treatment is always present. A new study is offering a hopeful clue about what might help the body respond in a protective way.
Exercise May Influence Cancer Cells
A study from the Exercise Medicine Research Institute at Edith Cowan University suggests that even one workout may help slow the growth of breast cancer cells at a microscopic level. The research team found that blood drawn from breast cancer survivors after a single session of high intensity exercise slowed the growth of lab grown cancer cells. Many of those cells stopped growing altogether.
“Our work shows that exercise can directly influence cancer biology, suppressing tumor growth through powerful molecular signals,” Robert Newton, the study’s senior author and deputy director of the institute, told The Washington Post.
How the Study Worked
The researchers recruited 32 women who had completed treatment for breast cancer and were not exercising regularly. After drawing baseline blood samples, the women completed either high intensity interval training or a high intensity weight lifting session. Each workout lasted about 45 minutes.
Blood was drawn right after the workout and again about 30 minutes later. Researchers then added those samples to breast cancer cells growing in the lab to see how the cells would respond. The blood taken before the exercise didn’t change anything. But the blood taken after the workout slowed the cancer cells down, and in many cases, stopped them altogether.
Why Exercise Might Have This Effect
The team focused on myokines, which are hormone like molecules released by working muscles. One of them is IL-6, a signaling protein that rises when your muscles work hard. IL-6 increased the most after interval training. The higher a woman’s IL-6 levels were after the workout, the more strongly her blood slowed cancer growth.
What Experts See in Survivors
Experts say the findings line up with what they see in breast cancer survivors. Large observational studies have shown that women who stay physically active after treatment tend to have lower recurrence rates and better overall survival. In 2025, a study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that colon cancer survivors who joined a supervised exercise program were 37 percent less likely to experience a recurrence than those who did not exercise.
Does the Type of Exercise Matter
The new study suggests that intensity matters. Interval training produced the strongest anticancer response, although weight training offered benefits too. Experts say survivors can safely work toward higher-intensity exercise with guidance.
How HIIT Works
High intensity interval training, or HIIT, is a workout style built around short bursts of hard effort followed by brief periods of rest. Instead of maintaining one steady pace, the intensity rises and falls in timed cycles. A typical session might include thirty seconds of fast movement followed by thirty seconds of slower recovery. HIIT can be done with cardio, strength exercises, or a mix of both, and sessions are often shorter because the work periods are more demanding.
What This Means for Survivors
The findings don’t replace medical treatment, but they do suggest that exercise may play a more active role in recovery and long-term health than previously understood. Survivors should talk with their oncologist before starting a new routine and look for cancer-specific exercise programs at hospitals or community centers.
Resources:
The New England Journal of Medicine