Sex hormones, cancer and exercise training in women

Abstract

Higher levels of physical activity have been associated with lower risk of several sex-hormone related cancers in women, specifically breast and endometrial cancers. One proposed mechanism for the protective effect of physical activity or exercise training on risk of sex-hormone related cancers is an associated reduction in circulating levels of sex hormones. This chapter provides an overview of the epidemiological evidence linking sex hormones to risk of sex-hormone related cancers and outlines the proposed mechanisms for the protective effect of exercise, including a summary of the impact of prospective intervention studies which test the impact of exercise training on sex hormone levels across the reproductive life of women.