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Exercise helps protect lungs

Exercise may help reduce the risk of lung cancer in women smokers, suggests a US study in this month's issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention.

Researchers analysed data on 36 410 older women and found that physically active smokers were 35 percent less likely to develop lung cancer than sedentary smokers, the Associated Press reported.

No excuse to smoke
But the finding doesn't mean that women should believe that exercising gives them an excuse to smoke, warned study lead author Dr Kathryn Schmitz, assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics.

"The most important thing that smokers can do to reduce the risk of lung cancer is quit smoking," Schmitz told the AP. She noted that the risk of lung cancer among people who quit smoking is 10 to 11 times lower than among smokers.

It's not clear why exercise may help prevent lung cancer in smokers. Some experts suggest that it could be because improved pulmonary function in smokers who exercise reduces the amount of cancer-causing particles in the lungs, the AP reported.- (HealthDayNews)

Read more:
Stop smoking Centre
Fitness Centre

December 2006

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