The role of physical exercise in the development of breast cancer

Physiotherapy ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Agata Adasik

AbstractBreast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among women worldwide. Epidemiological and experimental studies confirm the beneficial effects of physical exercise both in patients who have suffered a relapse and in those who are in the course of a treatment. Researchers suggest that regular physical effort performed 3-5 times a week at 20-40 MET reduces the risk of development of breast cancer. Scientific evidence suggests that aerobic training can be safe and effective even during the oncological treatment, which, depending on the stage of the disease, may consist of surgical treatment combined with chemotherapy, radiotherapy or hormone therapy. In addition, it significantly improves the function of the circulatory and respiratory systems, reduces fatigue and improves the quality of life of patients struggling with the disease. There are many theories on the mechanisms that are triggered by aerobic workout. Despite the numerous studies on this subject, which have been conducted over the years, we still cannot say how physical activity reduces the risk of development of breast cancer. The most frequently mentioned biological mechanisms include the influence of oestrogen, metabolic hormones, growth factor, inflammatory markers, response from the immune system, insulin resistance and oxidative stress. Many studies into the process of carcinogenesis are carried out in laboratory conditions on animals. Due to application of different experimental models, the results of such studies are often ambiguous. Nevertheless, scientists see a huge potential in this kind of experiments, because some of them have already attested to the protective effects of physical exercise against the appearance of breast cancer, but also they have increased our understanding of the processes through which this risk is reduced. Perhaps, in the future physical activity will become a part of a cancer treatment thanks to the results of such studies.

Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1002
Author(s):  
Fabiola Marino ◽  
Mariangela Scalise ◽  
Eleonora Cianflone ◽  
Luca Salerno ◽  
Donato Cappetta ◽  
...  

Over the years strong evidence has been accumulated showing that aerobic physical exercise exerts beneficial effects on the prevention and reduction of cardiovascular risk. Exercise in healthy subjects fosters physiological remodeling of the adult heart. Concurrently, physical training can significantly slow-down or even reverse the maladaptive pathologic cardiac remodeling in cardiac diseases, improving heart function. The underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of the beneficial effects of physical exercise on the heart are still a subject of intensive study. Aerobic activity increases cardiovascular nitric oxide (NO) released mainly through nitric oxidase synthase 3 activity, promoting endothelium-dependent vasodilation, reducing vascular resistance, and lowering blood pressure. On the reverse, an imbalance between increasing free radical production and decreased NO generation characterizes pathologic remodeling, which has been termed the “nitroso-redox imbalance”. Besides these classical evidence on the role of NO in cardiac physiology and pathology, accumulating data show that NO regulate different aspects of stem cell biology, including survival, proliferation, migration, differentiation, and secretion of pro-regenerative factors. Concurrently, it has been shown that physical exercise generates physiological remodeling while antagonizes pathologic remodeling also by fostering cardiac regeneration, including new cardiomyocyte formation. This review is therefore focused on the possible link between physical exercise, NO, and stem cell biology in the cardiac regenerative/reparative response to physiological or pathological load. Cellular and molecular mechanisms that generate an exercise-induced cardioprotective phenotype are discussed in regards with myocardial repair and regeneration. Aerobic training can benefit cells implicated in cardiovascular homeostasis and response to damage by NO-mediated pathways that protect stem cells in the hostile environment, enhance their activation and differentiation and, in turn, translate to more efficient myocardial tissue regeneration. Moreover, stem cell preconditioning by and/or local potentiation of NO signaling can be envisioned as promising approaches to improve the post-transplantation stem cell survival and the efficacy of cardiac stem cell therapy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 50
Author(s):  
Andrea Di Blasio ◽  
Teresa Morano ◽  
Federica Lancia ◽  
Gianluca Viscioni ◽  
Angelo Di Iorio ◽  
...  

Background: To prevent and fight the increase of daily sedentary time and to promote and stimulate the positive effects of physical activity and exercise on health, both traditional interventions and new strategies are important for breast cancer survivors (BCS). The research goal was to compare the effects of weekly personal feedback, based on objectively measured physical activity, on the trends of both daily sedentary time and on the physical activity of BCS (E− group) with those of an intervention also including online supervised physical exercise sessions (E+ group), during the Italy COVID-19 lockdown. Methods: The Italian COVID-19 emergency allowed the possibility to also observe the effects of social and personal limitations. A total of 51 BCS were studied over an 18-week period and had an objective registration of day-to-day sedentary time, physical activity, and sleep. Both subsamples received weekly or fortnight personal feedback. Data were analysed considering four key periods, according to the COVID-19 emergency steps. Results: Statistical analysis showed an additive effect for sedentary time and a multiplicative effect both for light-to vigorous and light-intensity physical activities. The E− group had a high overall sedentary time and a different trend of light-to vigorous and light-intensity physical activities, with a reduction from the 1st to the 2nd periods (national and personal restrictions), showing a significant rise just at the end of the national restrictions. Conclusions: The use of an activity tracker and its accompanying app, with the reception of weekly tailored advice and supervised online physical exercise sessions, can elicit proper physical activity recomposition in BCS in the COVID-19 era.


Endocrinology ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 154 (5) ◽  
pp. 1701-1710 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ran Rostoker ◽  
Keren Bitton-Worms ◽  
Avishay Caspi ◽  
Zila Shen-Orr ◽  
Derek LeRoith

Abstract Epidemiological and experimental studies have identified hyperinsulinemia as an important risk factor for breast cancer induction and for the poor prognosis in breast cancer patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Recently it was demonstrated that both the insulin receptor (IR) and the IGF-IR mediate hyperinsulinemia's mitogenic effect in several breast cancer models. Although IGF-IR has been intensively investigated, and anti-IGF-IR therapies are now in advanced clinical trials, the role of the IR in mediating hyperinsulinemia's mitogenic effect remains to be clarified. Here we aimed to explore the potential of IR inhibition compared to dual IR/IGF-IR blockade on breast tumor growth. To initiate breast tumors, we inoculated the mammary carcinoma Mvt-1 cell line into the inguinal mammary fat pad of the hyperinsulinemic MKR female mice, and to study the role of IR, we treated the mice bearing tumors with the recently reported high-affinity IR antagonist-S961, in addition to the well-documented IGF-IR inhibitor picropodophyllin (PPP). Although reducing IR activation, with resultant severe hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, S961-treated mice had significantly larger tumors compared to the vehicle-treated group. This effect maybe secondary to the severe hyperinsulinemia mediated via the IGF-1 receptor. In contrast, PPP by partially inhibiting both IR and IGF-IR activity reduced tumor growth rate with only mild metabolic consequences. We conclude that targeting (even partially) both IR and IGF-IRs impairs hyperinsulinemia's effects in breast tumor development while simultaneously sparing the metabolic abnormalities observed when targeting IR alone with virtual complete inhibition.


Author(s):  
Marcia P. Jimenez ◽  
Nicole V. DeVille ◽  
Elise G. Elliott ◽  
Jessica E. Schiff ◽  
Grete E. Wilt ◽  
...  

There is extensive empirical literature on the association between exposure to nature and health. In this narrative review, we discuss the strength of evidence from recent (i.e., the last decade) experimental and observational studies on nature exposure and health, highlighting research on children and youth where possible. We found evidence for associations between nature exposure and improved cognitive function, brain activity, blood pressure, mental health, physical activity, and sleep. Results from experimental studies provide evidence of protective effects of exposure to natural environments on mental health outcomes and cognitive function. Cross-sectional observational studies provide evidence of positive associations between nature exposure and increased levels of physical activity and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, and longitudinal observational studies are beginning to assess long-term effects of nature exposure on depression, anxiety, cognitive function, and chronic disease. Limitations of current knowledge include inconsistent measures of exposure to nature, the impacts of the type and quality of green space, and health effects of duration and frequency of exposure. Future directions include incorporation of more rigorous study designs, investigation of the underlying mechanisms of the association between green space and health, advancement of exposure assessment, and evaluation of sensitive periods in the early life-course.


2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 273-283
Author(s):  
Zhousheng Jin ◽  
Fangfang Xia ◽  
Jiaojiao Dong ◽  
Tingting Lin ◽  
Yaoyao Cai ◽  
...  

Glucocorticoid excess often causes a variety of cardiovascular complications, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, and cardiac hypertrophy. To abrogate its cardiac side effects, it is necessary to fully disclose the pathophysiological role of glucocorticoid in cardiac remodelling. Previous clinical and experimental studies have found that omentin-1, one of the adipokines, has beneficial effects in cardiovascular diseases, and is closely associated with metabolic disorders. However, there is no evidence to address the potential role of omentin-1 in glucocorticoid excess-induced cardiac injuries. To uncover the links, the present study utilized rat model with glucocorticoid-induced cardiac injuries and clinical patients with abnormal cardiac function. Chronic administration of glucocorticoid excess reduced rat serum omentin-1 concentration, which closely correlated with cardiac functional parameters. Intravenous administration of adeno-associated virus encoding omentin-1 upregulated the circulating omentin-1 level and attenuated glucocorticoid excess-induced cardiac hypertrophy and functional disorders. Overexpression of omentin-1 also improved cardiac mitochondrial function, including the reduction of lipid deposits, induction of mitochondrial biogenesis, and enhanced mitochondrial activities. Mechanistically, omentin-1 phosphorylated and activated the GSK3β pathway in the heart. From a study of 28 patients with Cushing’s syndrome and 23 healthy subjects, the plasma level of glucocorticoid was negatively correlated with omentin-1, and was positively associated with cardiac ejection fraction and fractional shortening. Collectively, the present study provided a novel role of omentin-1 in glucocorticoid excess-induced cardiac injuries and found that the omentin-1/GSK3β pathway was a potential therapeutic target in combating the side effects of glucocorticoid.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Vanni Frajese ◽  
Monica Benvenuto ◽  
Rosanna Mattera ◽  
Saverio Giampaoli ◽  
Elena Ambrosin ◽  
...  

Electrochemical reduced water (ERW) has been proposed to have beneficial effects on human health due to its rich content of H2and the presence of platinum nanoparticles with antioxidant effects. Many studies have demonstrated that ERW scavenging properties are able to reduce the damage caused by oxidative stress in different experimental models. Although fewin vivostudies have been reported, it has been demonstrated that ERW may display anticancer effects by induction of tumor cells apoptosis and reduction of both angiogenesis and inflammation. In this study, we show that ERW treatment of MCF-7, MDA-MB-453, and mouse (TUBO) breast cancer cells inhibited cell survival in a time-dependent fashion. ERW decreased ErbB2/neuexpression and impaired pERK1/ERK2 and AKT phosphorylation in breast cancer cells. In addition, ERW treatment induced apoptosis of breast cancer cell lines independently of the status of p53 and ER and PR receptors. Ourin vivoresults showed that ERW treatment of transgenic BALB-neuT mice delayed the development of mammary tumors compared to the control. In addition, ERW induced a significant prolongation of tumor-free survival and a reduction in tumor multiplicity. Overall, these results suggest a potential beneficial role of ERW in inhibiting cancer cells growth.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morgane Davezac ◽  
Melissa Buscato ◽  
Rana Zahreddine ◽  
Patrick Lacolley ◽  
Daniel Henrion ◽  
...  

Cardiovascular diseases remain an age-related pathology in both men and women. These pathologies are 3-fold more frequent in men than in women before menopause, although this difference progressively decreases after menopause. The vasculoprotective role of estrogens are well established before menopause, but the consequences of their abrupt decline on the cardiovascular risk at menopause remain debated. In this review, we will attempt to summarize the main clinical and experimental studies reporting the protective effects of estrogens against cardiovascular diseases, with a particular focus on atherosclerosis, and the impact of aging and estrogen deprivation on their endothelial actions. The arterial actions of estrogens, but also part of that of androgens through their aromatization into estrogens, are mediated by the estrogen receptor (ER)α and ERβ. ERs belong to the nuclear receptor family and act by transcriptional regulation in the nucleus, but also exert non-genomic/extranuclear actions. Beside the decline of estrogens at menopause, abnormalities in the expression and/or function of ERs in the tissues, and particularly in arteries, could contribute to the failure of classic estrogens to protect arteries during aging. Finally, we will discuss how recent insights in the mechanisms of action of ERα could contribute to optimize the hormonal treatment of the menopause.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samir Giuseppe Sukkar ◽  
Maurizio Muscaritoli

Low carbohydrates diets (LCDs), which provide 20–120 g of carbohydrates per day, have long been used as therapeutic options in the treatment of severe obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and other morbid conditions, with good results in terms of weight loss and control of the main metabolic parameters, at least in the short and medium term. According to the caloric content and the macronutrient composition, we can classify LCDs in hypocaloric, normoproteic diets [such as the Very Low-Calorie Ketogenic Diet (VLCKD) or the protein-sparing modified fasting (PSMF)], hypocaloric, hyperproteic and hyperlipidic diets (e.g., Atkins, Paleo diets…) and normocaloric, normo-/hyperproteic diets (eucaloric KD), the latter mainly used in patients with brain tumors (gliomas) and refractory epilepsy. In addition to LCD diets, another interesting dietary approach which gained attention in the last few decades is fasting and its beneficial effects in terms of modulation of metabolic pathways, cellular processes and hormonal secretions. Due to the impossibility of using fasting regimens for long periods of time, several alternative strategies have been proposed that can mimic the effects, including calorie restriction, intermittent or alternating fasting, and the so-called fasting mimicking diets (FMDs). Recent preclinical studies have shown positive effects of FMDs in various experimental models of tumors, diabetes, Alzheimer Disease, and other morbid conditions, but to date, the scientific evidence in humans is limited to some opens studies and case reports. The purpose of our narrative review is to offer an overview of the characteristics of the main dietary regimens applied in the treatment of different clinical conditions as well as of the scientific evidence that justifies their use, focusing on low and zero-carb diets and on the different types of fasting.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 82-86
Author(s):  
Mansureh Ghavam ◽  
Zeinab Soleimaninejad

Background: Nowadays, many people believe in traditional medicines and use them for different diseases. Knowledge of medicinal plants and traditional medicine has been practiced for centuries through trial and error, and many important treatments for the disease have been passed down from one generation to the next. Ephedra is a valuable plant and has been used to treat diseases since ancient times. Accordingly, this study aims to comprehensively introduce Ephedra distachya L. in traditional medicine. Methods: In this review study, databases such as Google Scholar, SID, Scopus, and books on medicinal plants in Persian and English languages were searched to collect data. The keywords included "ephedra", "traditional medicine", "goat’s beard", and "medicinal plants". Results: Many resources highlighted the importance of using ephedra due to its useful properties. Experimental studies in traditional medicine show the effect of this plant in the prevention of diseases, such as asthma and bronchitis. Conclusion: Considering the beneficial effects of ephedra and scientific evidence about its effects, further studies are needed to better understand the use of this plant in traditional medicine.


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