Journal of Exercise & Organ Cross Talk
Journal of Eexercise & Organ Cross Talk

Lactate can promote metastasis in cancer, what about physical exercise?

Document Type : Hypothesis

Authors

Amir Hossein Ahmadi Hekmatikar 1
Ali Moqhadasi 2

1 Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran 10600, Iran.

2 Department of Biological Sciences in Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Health, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran 198396-3113, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22122/jeoct.2024.458241.1111
Abstract
Cancer is regarded as one of the most cunning and perilous diseases globally. Numerous studies have emphasized the significance of exercise both prior to cancer diagnosis and after hospital discharge, in conjunction with various treatment approaches. However, the role of exercise during cancer itself remains an unresolved query. Oncology research reveals that three crucial factors for metastasis and tumor progression during cancer are lactate, platelets, and angiogenesis. Interestingly, exercise can also have a noteworthy impact on stimulating these three factors. In this brief review, our aim is to shed light on the potential appropriateness of exercise during cancer.

What is already known on this subject?

Our previous publications have reported the importance of exercise for cancer patients (Ahmadi Hekmatikar, 2023; Ahmadi Hekmatikar et al., 2023; Lavín-Pérez et al., 2023).  This hypothesis raises concerns from multiple angles, which can be explored in future research specifically addressing these concerns in order to answer the crucial question of whether physical activity is advantageous in the context of cancer. From one perspective, the hypothesis presented in this study emphasizes the notion that physical activity can enhance angiogenesis, an aspect that has been extensively emphasized in the field of sports physiology. However, the study also demonstrated that cancer relies on angiogenesis for its growth and spread. Consequently, this study proposes that intensive physical activity might raise concerns for patients with solid tumors.

In the second aspect, the hypothesis of the present study revealed that cancer cells exploit platelets as a protective shield during metastasis, aiding their movement in the bloodstream and evading the immune system. However, it was discovered that exercise can disrupt the attachment of cells to platelets by inducing shear stress, thereby undermining their ability to evade the immune system. This second possibility highlighted by the study suggests that physical activity, particularly focusing on platelets, may have a detrimental impact on patients with solid tumors.

The third perspective of the hypothesis put forth by the present study addresses the dependence of the tumor microenvironment on lactate, which has been shown to play a role in angiogenesis and the suppression of the immune system. Lactate has the potential to enhance tumor aggressiveness. However, physical activity is one of the primary factors contributing to the release of lactate into the bloodstream. Consequently, this raises another significant concern regarding the interplay between lactate, physical activity, and solid tumors.

Lastly, the present study underlined the importance of investigating more specific physiological changes that occur between tumors and physical activity, which may raise concerns regarding physical activity during cancer. However, this study can serve as a guiding beacon for future research endeavors aimed at addressing the following question: Can physical activity be a suitable strategy for cancer patients, considering the impact on lactate, platelets, and angiogenesis resulting from exercise interventions? This hypothesis merely highlights potential avenues for further investigation based on previous studies, providing valuable research ideas for future studies. This study merely stated valuable hypotheses that will require further research to prove.

 

What this study adds?

The importance of lactate in tumor growth cannot be ignored. This study added the important question of whether physical activity during cancer could be dangerous for tumor growth by increasing lactate.

Keywords

Cancer
Physical exercise
Metastasis
Lactate

Subjects

Acknowledgements

None.

Funding

None.

Compliance with ethical standards

Conflict of interest The author declare that she has no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval Not applicable.

Informed consent Not applicable.

Author contributions

Conceptualization: A.A.H.; Methodology: A.A.H.; Software: None; Validation: A.A.H.; Formal analysis: None; Investigation: A.A.H.; Resources: A.A.H.; Data curation: None.; Writing - original draft: A.A.H. and A.M.; Writing - review & editing: A.A.H. and A.M.; Visualization: A.A.H.; Supervision: A.A.H.; Project administration: A.A.H.; Funding acquisition: None.

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Journal of Exercise & Organ Cross Talk
Volume 4, Issue 1
Winter 2024
Pages 67-73

  • Receive Date 16 January 2024
  • Revise Date 02 March 2024
  • Accept Date 08 March 2024

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