HORMONES, CANCER AND PHYSICAL EXERCISE: MOLECULAR INTERACTIONS, SYSTEMIC RESPONSES AND TRANSLATIONAL PERSPECTIVES
Keywords:
Hormones, Carcinogenesis, Physical Exercise, Tumor MicroenvironmentAbstract
This chapter presents a comprehensive overview of the interactions between hormones, carcinogenesis, and physical exercise, addressing biochemical and molecular foundations as well as translational applications. It first highlights that sex steroid hormones (estrogen, testosterone), metabolic hormones (insulin, IGF-1), and adipokines (leptin, adiponectin) play a central role in tumor initiation and progression by modulating cell proliferation, angiogenesis, inflammation, and the tumor microenvironment. Hormonal dysregulation—common in obesity, physical inactivity, and insulin resistance—favors tumor development, especially in breast, prostate, and colon cancers. The chapter also details how physical exercise acts as an endocrine and immunometabolic modulator by reducing levels of estrogen, insulin, IGF-1, and leptin, while increasing adiponectin and stimulating anti-inflammatory myokines. Exercise positively influences key signaling pathways such as AMPK, mTOR, PI3K/Akt, and NF- κB, promoting both direct and indirect antitumor effects. In models of breast, prostate, and colon cancer, regular exercise reduces aromatase expression in adipose tissue, improves insulin sensitivity, decreases tumor angiogenesis, and supports intestinal homeostasis. Finally, the text reinforces the importance of exercise in modern oncology, aligned with the Exercise is Medicine concept, emphasizing its applicability in cancer prevention, control, and rehabilitation, as well as its potential for therapeutic personalization based on hormonal and metabolic profiles.
