Influence of physical activity on active surveillance discontinuation in men with low-risk prostate cancer

Purpose Epidemiologic data suggest that high levels of physical activity (PA) may reduce the risk of disease progression in men with prostate cancer (PCa), but it is unknown whether PA can delay the requirement for definitive treatment for those on active surveillance (AS). We investigated the influence of PA post-diagnosis on AS discontinuation in men with low-risk disease. Methods The effect of PA on the time to AS discontinuation was assessed in 421 patients, of whom 107 underwent additional PCa treatment over a median of 2.5 years. Results Using Cox regression models, we found that PA was not significantly associated with time to curative treatment initiation. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) most proximal to AS initiation (HR, 1.11; 95% CI 1.03 to 1.21) and the number of positive cores (HR, 1.34; 95% CI 1.12 to 1.61) at diagnosis were associated with a significantly increased risk of discontinuing AS. Conclusion Our findings suggest that PA during AS for PCa does not significantly influence time to curative treatment.