Exercise Can Reduce The Risk Of Ovarian Cancer

Two new studies suggest lack of exercise is associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer and of death from the disease. In one study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 8,300 ovarian cancer patients and more than 12,600 women without ovarian cancer. Those who said they had done no recreational physical activity during their lives were 34 percent more likely to develop ovarian cancer than those who exercised regularly, the researchers found. The link between inactivity and a higher risk of ovarian cancer was seen in both normal-weight women and those who were overweight or obese. The findings were recently published online in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Kirsten Moysich is a professor of oncology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, in Buffalo, N.Y., and the senior author of both studies. She told UPI, "Women may be overwhelmed with mixed messages about physical activity or exercise recommendations and opt to be inactive because they feel that they cannot meet the recommended amount of physical activity."