Regular exercise can reduce the risk of which cancers?

• A. Lung cancer
• B. Colon or breast cancer
• C. Prostate cancer
• D. Skin cancer

Answer: (B)

Regular exercise lowers the risk of several cancers, with the strongest and most consistent evidence for colon and breast cancer. For colon cancer, being active helps move waste through the gut more quickly, reducing the time the lining is exposed to potential carcinogens, and it also supports a healthier weight and lower inflammation. For breast cancer, physical activity helps regulate body weight and hormonal and metabolic factors such as estrogen and insulin levels, which can influence cancer risk over a lifetime.

The other cancers listed are not as clearly reduced by exercise. Prostate cancer shows mixed evidence, with studies not pointing to a strong, consistent protective effect. Lung cancer risk is predominantly driven by smoking, and while exercise has numerous health benefits, it does not reliably lower lung cancer risk. Skin cancer risk is more strongly related to sun exposure and protective behaviors than to physical activity.

So, regular exercise most reliably reduces the risk of colon and breast cancer, making that option the best fit.