Yoga could help stop the spread of cancer, researchers say

Doctors should prescribe yoga to cancer patients to help stop it spreading or returning, research suggests.

Two sessions a week was found to “significantly reduce inflammation”, which is known to encourage cancer growth.

The “gentle” form of the exercise could also help lessen the severity of the disease and lower the risk of it spreading elsewhere.

Exercise is known to have anti-inflammatory effects.

In the study of 502 cancer survivors, by the University of Rochester Medical Centre in New York, around half took part in 75-minute sessions, twice a week for four weeks.

Blood tests were taken at the start and end of the month to assess levels of inflammation, which revealed this group had significantly lower markers of stress.

The body’s inflammatory response is essential to tell the immune system to send white blood cells to fight off infection.

Karen Mustian, lead researcher, said: “The basic take-home story is that inflammatory chemicals were lowered by the yoga”.

A separate study, of 2692 cancer patients over 60, found those who stayed active in old age cut their chances of dying by nearly 18 per cent.

The research was by Brazil’s Instituto de Medicina Integral Professor Fernando Figueira.

Both studies were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology conference in Chicago.