Prolonged sitting and inactivity increases the risk for death among cancer survivors 

The risk for both all-cause and cancer-specific death increased for cancer survivors with the combination of prolonged sitting and inactivity.

The combination of prolonged sitting and a lack of physical activity increases the risk for death among cancer survivors, according to a study published online in JAMA Oncology.

Chao Cao, from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and colleagues examined associations of daily sitting time and leisure-time physical activity with mortality outcomes among cancer survivors. The analysis included 1535 cancer survivors (aged 40 years or older) identified from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2007 to 2014) with follow-up through 2015 (median 4.5 years of follow-up).

The researchers found that being physically active was associated with lower risks for all-cause and cancer-specific mortality compared with inactivity.

Further, sitting more than 8 hours per day was associated with all-cause and cancer-specific mortality versus sitting less than 4 hours per day. Inactive and insufficiently active cancer survivors who reported sitting more than eight hours per day had the highest overall and cancer-specific mortality risks.

Cao C, et al. JAMA Oncol. 2022 Jan 6:e216590. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2021.6590.

Renal and Urology News, Feb1, 2022