Physical Activity Reduces Prostate Carcinogenesis In A Transgenic Model

Main Category: Prostate / Prostate Cancer
Also Included In: Urology / Nephrology;  Cancer / Oncology;  Sports Medicine / Fitness
Article Date: 03 Aug 2009 - 1:00 PDT

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UroToday.com - A recent European study demonstrated that 10-year mortality from cardiovascular disease and cancer was decreased in a population of 70 to 90 year olds who adhered to a Mediterranean diet, were physically active, had moderate alcohol consumption and did not smoke. There are also reports suggesting an inverse association between physical activity and risk of prostate cancer (CaP). Yet mechanisms linking lifestyle and longevity are not well investigated. This report in The Prostate investigates an animal model for the association between physical activity and development of CaP.

Male C3(1)Tag mice were used in the study. These mice are predisposed to CaP due to the directed expression of SV40 oncogenes to that organ combined with voluntary exercise. Exercise consisted of running on a computer monitored running wheel. Nine mice served as non-running controls and 20 mice were in the running group. The amount of running by each mouse was recorded by the computer and access to the wheel was continuous. In this model, detectable prostate carcinogenesis is usually underway by 20 weeks of age. Histopathology was performed at 20 weeks of age by blinded interpretation.

Mice ran for an average of 4.03km/day and at an average speed of 0.72km/hr. There was no difference between the two groups regarding increase in body weight over time. There were no apparent differences in histopathology grading between mice housed in standard cages and those in the running cages. In subgroup analysis, mice that ran >5km/day exhibited a trend for more normal prostate phenotype. Thus the suggestion is that CaP is likely delayed or diminished by increase wheel running in transgenic C3(1)Tag mice, but this observation was limited to the mice who run >5km/day. The study is novel and may require remodeling to further substantiate the hypothesis.

Esser KA, Harpole CE, Prins GS, Diamond AM
Prostate. 2009 Jun 1. (Epub ahead of print)
10.1002/pros.20987

Written by UroToday.com Contributing Editor Christopher P. Evans, MD, FACS

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