Updated June 9th, 2025

Exercise As Effective As Medication To Improve Cancer Survival: A First Rate Study From Respected Researchers Looking At Colon Cancer Patients

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Monitoring What You Eat as a Colon Cancer Patient

A Dana-Farber Cancer Institute analysis found that colon cancer patients who consumed an anti-inflammatory diet during a phase 3 CALCB/SWOG 80702 clinical trial showed longer overall survival post-treatment than those on a proinflammatory diet.
Colon cancer patients who engage in higher levels of physical activity and consume less inflammatory foods may amplify the positive influence on survival.
Patients are encouraged to follow recommended guidelines from the American Cancer Society—which emphasize fruits, vegetables, and limited red meat and refined grains.

A new study from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is shedding light on how diet and physical activity may influence survival outcomes for patients with stage 3 colon cancer. Researchers examined the impact of inflammatory diets—which have been linked to cancer progression—and found that patients who consumed pro-inflammatory foods had significantly worse survival rates compared to those who followed anti-inflammatory diets.

Dr. Sara Char, a clinical fellow in Hematology and Oncology at Dana-Farber, talked to SurvivorNet about the motivation behind the study that analyzed the CALCB/SWOG 80702 clinical trial:

“Inflammation is implicated in both the development and progression of colon cancer. Prior studies have shown that elevated levels of inflammation in the body are associated with worse survival outcomes. We wanted to know whether diet-related inflammation would impact survival,” said Dr. Char.

Key Findings

The study analyzed empirical dietary inflammatory patterns (EDIP), a food-based index that assesses diets’ inflammatory potential. While disease-free survival (the time a patient lives without cancer recurrence) showed no significant difference between high- and low-inflammatory diets, overall survival was notably affected.

Patients who consumed the most pro-inflammatory diets (top 20%) had significantly worse survival compared to those who ate the least inflammatory diets (bottom 20%).
Those who combined higher levels of physical activity with an anti-inflammatory diet had a 63% lower mortality risk compared to individuals with low physical activity and a highly inflammatory diet.

“The best survival outcomes were achieved by those who had higher levels of physical activity and consumed less inflammatory diets,” Dr. Char noted.

The Role of Nutrition in Cancer Care

While the study highlights the importance of diet, Dr. Char emphasized that patients undergoing treatment should prioritize nutrition that works for them.

“When going through chemotherapy, finding foods that were previously appetizing can be challenging. I recommend that patients work with nutritionists to maximize their nutrition in ways that fit their lives while undergoing treatment,” she said.

For post-treatment patients, following guidelines from the American Cancer Society—which emphasize fruits, vegetables, and limited red meat and refined grains—may help support long-term health.

WATCH: Recommendations for a healthy lifestyle: a doctor’s advice for cancer survivors.

Dr. Char hopes to expand research into metastatic cancer patients and younger individuals diagnosed with colorectal cancer under age 50 as cases in this age group continue to rise.

“We need larger cohorts of patients under 50 to better understand how diet and lifestyle impact survival outcomes,” she said.

This study adds to the growing evidence that diet and lifestyle choices play a crucial role in cancer survival, reinforcing the importance of nutrition and physical activity in patient care.

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Kavontae Smalls is a writer and reporter for SurvivorNet. Read More