Can Exercise Lower Your Lung Cancer Risk?

At the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, Dr. Marisa Bittoni of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center shared interim findings from the BEFIT study, a pilot exercise intervention for people at high risk for lung cancer. Rather than focusing on patients already diagnosed with disease, the study targets a vulnerable group—longtime smokers and former smokers eligible for lung cancer screening—to explore whether structured exercise can improve fitness, reduce body mass index, and potentially influence inflammation and the microbiome.