Exercise Improves Survival in Resected Colon Cancer

Study at a glance:

• Journal: New England Journal of Medicine, 2025

• Population: 889 patients with resected colon cancer after adjuvant chemotherapy

• Method: Phase 3, randomized trial across 55 centers comparing a 3-year structured exercise program vs health-education materials alone

• Key Finding: Exercise significantly improved disease-free survival and supported longer overall survival

Summary:
This phase 3 trial evaluated whether structured exercise improves outcomes in colon cancer survivors. A total of 889 patients were randomized after adjuvant chemotherapy to either a 3-year structured exercise program (n=445) or health-education materials alone (n=444). At a median follow-up of 7.9 years, the exercise group showed significantly longer disease-free survival (HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.55–0.94; P = 0.02), with 5-year DFS rates of 80.3% vs 73.9%. Overall survival was also longer in the exercise group (HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.43–0.94), with 8-year OS rates of 90.3% vs 83.2%. Musculoskeletal adverse events occurred more often in the exercise group (18.5% vs 11.5%).

Takeaway:
A structured, long-term exercise program after adjuvant chemotherapy significantly improves disease-free survival and supports improved overall survival in patients with resected colon cancer.

Source: Meyerhardt JA, Ng K, Li T, et al. Structured exercise after adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer. N Engl J Med. 2025;392(14):1352-1363. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2500456. Available at: https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2502760