Yale School of Medicine: How Exercise Slows Tumor Growth Why does exercise seem to protect people against cancer? "In the study, Perry’s team used metabolic tracers in mouse models of breast cancer and melanoma to learn how glucose—a nutrient that tumors use to fuel rapid cell division—is distributed when the body is active. The answer, they found, is that working muscles effectively outcompete tumors for the glucose supply. Because muscle contraction increases glucose uptake, exercise shifts metabolism, causing tumors to receive less of the fuel they need to grow. That shift happened even when the mice exercised modestly. Even low levels of activity were enough to produce metabolic changes in certain tumor models."
✅ This is largely true. The content accurately summarizes a Yale School of Medicine study showing that exercise can slow tumor growth by altering glucose metabolism. During exercise, muscles increase glucose uptake, reducing the glucose available to tumors, which need it to grow. This effect was observed even with modest exercise in mouse models of breast cancer and melanoma. The findings are supported by credible sources and published in reputable scientific outlets, suggesting exercise as a beneficial strategy in cancer prevention and management.
Jan 19, 2026