Introduction
Exercise and health share a positive relationship, being one of the most important behaviors for improving and maintaining our overall physical well-being. Increasing evidence highlights multiple benefits of exercise, including prevention of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, enhancement of cognitive health, and even improvement of treatment outcomes for various cancers.
However, the acute effects of exercise on tumors remain unclear, particularly regarding the expression of myokines—muscle-derived proteins with anti-cancer properties—in patients and the direct impact on cancer cell suppression.
New Research from Edith Cowan University
Recently, researchers from Edith Cowan University published a groundbreaking study in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment. The study titled “A single bout of resistance or high-intensity interval training increases anti-cancer myokines and suppresses cancer cell growth in vitro in survivors of breast cancer” explored the immediate effects of different exercise modalities on anti-cancer myokine levels and cancer cell growth inhibition in breast cancer survivors.
Study Design and Methods
The study involved 32 breast cancer survivors who had completed their primary treatments. Participants were randomly assigned to either resistance training (RT) or high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Blood samples were collected at three time points: before exercise, immediately post-exercise (0P), and 30 minutes post-exercise (30P).
Researchers analyzed the blood plasma for changes in key myokines known for their anti-cancer effects, including decorin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC), and oncostatin M (OSM). Additionally, they tested the plasma’s ability to suppress breast cancer cell growth in vitro.
Exercise Protocols
The resistance training protocol consisted of 8 exercises targeting major muscle groups in the upper and lower limbs. Each exercise involved 5 sets of 8 repetitions, with 1-2 minutes of rest between sets, totaling approximately 45 minutes.
The HIIT protocol included 7 sets of 30-second high-intensity bouts (using modalities like cycling and treadmill running) aimed at achieving 70-90% of maximum heart rate, interspersed with 3-minute rest intervals, also totaling about 45 minutes.
Key Findings
Both exercise types significantly increased serum levels of the anti-cancer myokines decorin, IL-6, and SPARC immediately after exercise, with increases ranging from 9% to 47%.
Notably, the increase in IL-6 was significantly higher in the HIIT group compared to the resistance training group.
Furthermore, OSM levels remained elevated 30 minutes post-exercise only in the resistance training group, suggesting differences in myokine kinetics between exercise types.
Impact on Cancer Cell Growth
In vitro experiments demonstrated that plasma collected immediately and 30 minutes post-exercise from both groups significantly inhibited breast cancer cell growth. The resistance training group showed a 20-21% reduction, while the HIIT group exhibited a 19-29% reduction.
At the immediate post-exercise time point, the HIIT group’s plasma had a significantly stronger cancer cell suppressive effect compared to the resistance training group.
Implications and Significance
This study is the first to directly compare the acute effects of resistance training and high-intensity interval training on anti-cancer myokine expression and cancer cell growth suppression in breast cancer survivors. The findings confirm that even a single session of these exercise types can elevate myokines with anti-cancer properties and inhibit cancer cell growth, with HIIT inducing a more pronounced IL-6 release and stronger immediate suppression of cancer cells.
The researchers emphasize that even one exercise session triggers beneficial physiological responses that may increase anti-tumor myokines in cancer patients, potentially reducing the risk of cancer recurrence.
Conclusion
Overall, a single bout of resistance or high-intensity interval training can promote anti-cancer effects by increasing key myokines and inhibiting cancer cell growth. These findings highlight the important role of exercise as a non-pharmacological intervention in breast cancer survivorship care, offering promising potential to enhance patient outcomes and reduce relapse risk.
Reference
Bettariga F, Taaffe DR, Crespo-Garcia C, Clay TD, De Santi M, Baldelli G, Adhikari S, Gray ES, Galvão DA, Newton RU. A single bout of resistance or high-intensity interval training increases anti-cancer myokines and suppresses cancer cell growth in vitro in survivors of breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2025 Aug;213(1):171-180. doi: 10.1007/s10549-025-07772-w.