Resistance training and total and site-specific cancer risk: a prospective cohort study of 33,787 US men

Author(s)

Rezende, Leandro F. M. ^{[1, 2]} ; Lee, Dong Hoon ^[3] ; Keum, NaNa ^[4] ; Wu, Kana ^[3] ; Eluf-Neto, Jose ^[1] ; Tabung, Fred K. ^[5] ; Giovannucci, Edward L. ^{[6, 7, 8, 3]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med FMUSP, Dept Med Prevent, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Med Prevent, Escola Paulista Med, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Harvard TH Chan Sch Publ Hlth, Dept Nutr, Boston, MA 02115 - USA

^[4] Dongguk Univ, Dept Food Sci & Biotechnol, Goyang - South Korea

^[5] Ohio State Univ, Coll Med, Dept Internal Med, Div Med Oncol, Columbus, OH 43210 - USA

^[6] Harvard TH Chan Sch Publ Hlth, Dept Epidemiol, Boston, MA - USA

^[7] Harvard Med Sch, Boston, MA 02115 - USA

^[8] Brigham & Womens Hosp, Dept Med, Channing Div Network Med, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA 02115 - USA

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: BRITISH JOURNAL OF CANCER; v. 123, n. 4 JUN 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Background Muscle-strengthening activities have been recommended for health benefits. However, it is unclear whether resistance training is associated with cancer risk, independent of total physical activity. Methods A prospective cohort study followed 33,787 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1992-2014). Cumulative average of resistance training (hours/week) was assessed through biennial questionnaires up to 2 years before cancer diagnosis. Cox regression model was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results During 521,221 person-years of follow-up, we documented 5,158 cancer cases. Resistance training was not associated with total cancer risk (HR per 1-h/week increase: 1.01; 95% CI 0.97, 1.05). We found an inverse association between resistance training and bladder cancer (HR per 1-h/week increase: 0.80; 95% CI 0.66, 0.96) and kidney cancer (HR per 1-h/week increase 0.77; 95% CI 0.58, 1.03; P-trend = 0.06), but the association was marginal for the latter after adjustment for confounders and total physical activity. Compared to participants engaging in aerobic activities only, combined resistance training and aerobic activities showed stronger inverse associations with kidney cancer risk. Conclusions Resistance training was associated with lower risk of bladder and kidney cancers. Future studies are warranted to confirm our findings. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/23941-9 - Translational cancer epidemiology: a study of physical activity and cancer prevention
• Grantee: Leandro Fórnias Machado de Rezende
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral