This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Abrahamson, P. E. Articles by McTiernan, A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Abrahamson, P. E. Articles by McTiernan, A. Related Collections Clinical Intervention Clinical Intervention: Biomarkers

No Effect of Exercise on Colon Mucosal Prostaglandin Concentrations: A 12-Month Randomized Controlled Trial

¹ Cancer Prevention Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; Departments of ² Epidemiology, ³ Medicine, and ⁴ Pathobiology, University of Washington; ⁵ Virginia Mason Medical Center; ⁶ Health Services Research and Development Center of Excellence, Department of Veterans Affairs, Seattle, Washington; ⁷ Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; and ⁸ Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Requests for reprints: Anne McTiernan, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, M4-B402, Seattle, WA 98109-1024. Phone: 206-667-7979; Fax: 206-667-7850. E-mail: amctiern{at}fhcrc.org.

Background: Epidemiologic studies provide evidence that exercise is associated with reduced risk of colon cancer. Exercise may exert protective effects on the colon by influencing prostaglandin production. We hypothesized that an exercise intervention would decrease prostaglandin E₂ concentrations and increase prostaglandin F₂ in colon biopsies compared with controls.

Methods: A 12-month randomized controlled trial testing the effects of exercise on colon mucosal prostaglandin concentrations was conducted in men (n = 95) and women (n = 89). The exercise intervention included moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity, 60 min/d, 6 days/wk versus controls. Prostaglandin E₂ and F₂ concentrations were measured in colon biopsies using an enzyme-linked immunoassay at baseline and at 12 months to assess changes in mean concentration for each group.

Results: Baseline colon prostaglandin E₂ and F₂ concentrations were not correlated with age, race, education, family history of colon cancer, previous polyps, body size, diet, smoking, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug use, metabolic factors, or sex hormone levels. For both men and women, the exercise and control groups showed no change in mean prostaglandin E₂ or F₂ between the baseline and 12-month biopsies. There was no difference in mean prostaglandin concentrations between exercisers and controls when exercisers were grouped by level of intervention adherence. Results were not modified by baseline age, body mass index, percentage of body fat, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug use, history of adenomatous polyps, or family history of colon cancer.

Conclusion: A 12-month moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic exercise intervention did not result in significant changes in colon mucosal prostaglandin concentrations. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007;16(11):2351–6)