Cardiorespiratory fitness and risk of site-specific cancers: a long-term prospective cohort study.
Based on self-reported physical activity, there is epidemiologic evidence for a beneficial relation between physical activity and colon cancer in men, but findings for other cancers are inconclusive. Measured cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) can provide knowledge about the cancer-preventive value of physical activity. We aimed to assess relationships between CRF and risk of site-specific cancers. A cohort of 1997 healthy Norwegian men, aged 40-59 years at inclusion in 1972-1975, was followed for cancer throughout 2012 using data from the Cancer Registry of Norway. CRF was measured by a maximal exercise bicycle test at inclusion. Relationships between CRF and site-specific cancers were estimated using Cox regression, adjusted for age, body mass index, and smoking. During follow-up, 898 cancer cases were diagnosed in 758 men. When comparing men in CRF tertile 1 with men in tertiles 2 and 3, respectively, we found decreased risk of proximal colon cancer in tertile 2 (HR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.13-0.73) and decreased risk of cancers of lung (0.39 95% CI: 0.22-0.66), pancreas (0.32 95% CI: 0.10-1.00), and bladder (HR: 0.40 95% CI: 0.21-0.74) in tertile 3. Furthermore, a significant trend for lower risk by increasing CRF tertile was found for cancers of proximal colon, lung, and bladder (P-value for trend <0.05). For other cancer sites, no significant association was found. Our results indicate that high midlife CRF may have cancer-preventive value.
Department of Research, Cancer Registry of Norway, PB 5313 Majorstuen, Oslo, 0304, Norway.
Trude E
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1652-7734
TE
Robsahm
Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Oslo University Hospital, PB 4950 Nydalen, Oslo, 0424, Norway.
Ragnhild S
RS
Falk
Oslo Ischemia Study, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Trond
T
Heir
Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Oslo University Hospital, PB 4950 Nydalen, Oslo, 0424, Norway.
Leiv
L
Sandvik
Department of Research, Cancer Registry of Norway, PB 5313 Majorstuen, Oslo, 0304, Norway.
Linda
L
Vos
Oslo Ischemia Study, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Jan
J
Erikssen
Department of Research, Cancer Registry of Norway, PB 5313 Majorstuen, Oslo, 0304, Norway.|Department of Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, PB 8905, Trondheim, 7491, Norway.
Steinar
S
Tretli
D000328:Adult; D000072599:Cardiorespiratory Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*
Cancer risk; cardiorespiratory fitness; measurement; prevention