Sun Yu, Keat Ooi Boon, Rajabi Sogand
Basic Science Department, Wuchang Shouyi University, Wuhan, 430064, Hubei Province, China.
Postgraduate Center, Management and Science University, Selangor Darul Ehsan, 40100, Shah Alam,, Malaysia.
Cancer Cell Int. 2025 Jun 22;25(1):227. doi: 10.1186/s12935-025-03872-1.
Regular and consistent physical activity significantly reduces the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) by approximately 24% in men and 23% in women. There are several mechanisms through which exercise can help protect against CRC. For example, it can reduce chronic inflammation, boost the immune system, and cause positive epigenetic changes like DNA methylation and histone modifications. It increases the activity of immune cells like natural killer cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes, shifts macrophages to an anti-tumor state, and promotes a tumor-suppressive microenvironment. Exercise also positively affects the gut microbiome, increasing beneficial bacteria that produce anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids like butyrate, which strengthen gut health and support epigenetic regulation. Additionally, physical activity lowers oxidative stress, enhances DNA repair, and regulates hormones like insulin and IGF-1, which are associated with cancer progression. Although exercise benefits vary among individuals, especially between genders, it is still a powerful preventive and therapeutic tool for CRC. For patients and survivors, personalized exercise programs improve physical function, decrease fatigue, and improve overall quality of life. Overall, exercise offers a multifaceted approach to CRC prevention and management by targeting inflammation, immunity, epigenetics, and gut health, as this review explores.
规律且持续的体育活动可显著降低患结直肠癌（CRC）的风险，男性降低约24%，女性降低约23%。运动有助于预防结直肠癌有多种机制。例如，它可以减轻慢性炎症、增强免疫系统，并引起DNA甲基化和组蛋白修饰等积极的表观遗传变化。它会增加自然杀伤细胞和细胞毒性T淋巴细胞等免疫细胞的活性，使巨噬细胞转变为抗肿瘤状态，并促进肿瘤抑制性微环境。运动还会对肠道微生物群产生积极影响，增加产生丁酸等抗炎短链脂肪酸的有益细菌，这些脂肪酸可增强肠道健康并支持表观遗传调控。此外，体育活动可降低氧化应激、增强DNA修复，并调节胰岛素和IGF-1等与癌症进展相关的激素。尽管运动的益处因人而异，尤其是在性别之间，但它仍然是预防和治疗结直肠癌的有力工具。对于患者和幸存者而言，个性化的运动计划可改善身体功能、减轻疲劳并提高整体生活质量。总体而言，如本综述所探讨的，运动通过针对炎症、免疫、表观遗传学和肠道健康，为结直肠癌的预防和管理提供了多方面的方法。
