A large international study suggests that moving more – especially walking – may help people with colorectal cancer feel less exhausted and improve their overall quality of life, particularly after initial treatment is finished.
Researchers followed 1,718 people with colorectal cancer of all stages for two years as part of the International ColoCare Study. Participants regularly filled out questionnaires about how much they walked and did other activities, and reported their cancer-related fatigue and day‑to‑day well‑being using standard quality‑of‑life tools.
For people with non‑metastatic (earlier‑stage) colorectal cancer, regular walking stood out as having the most consistent link with lower fatigue, especially in the first year after diagnosis. As time went on, moderate and more vigorous activities also appeared to help, particularly later in survivorship. Importantly, activity levels about a year after diagnosis were a stronger predictor of fatigue and quality of life two or more years out than how active patients were at the time of diagnosis, suggesting that staying or becoming active after completing first‑line treatment may be a key window to make a difference.
In people with metastatic (advanced) colorectal cancer, physical activity showed a trend toward better outcomes but the results were not statistically strong, meaning more research is needed to know how much it helps in this group.
Overall, the authors conclude that greater physical activity – and walking in particular – is associated with less cancer‑related fatigue and better quality of life in colorectal cancer, with the clearest benefits seen in earlier‑stage disease. They suggest that stage‑specific exercise advice, focused on safe, realistic activities like walking and timed to the recovery period after initial treatment, should be part of routine survivorship care.
If you are interested in becoming more active, talk with your oncology team or a physical therapist before changing your routine so they can help tailor a safe plan based on your treatment, other health conditions, and energy levels.
Reference:
Liu L, Kaemian E, Lorona N, et al. Longitudinal study on the influence of physical activity in managing cancer-related fatigue in patients with colorectal cancer. Meeting Abstract: 2026 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium. J Clin Oncol 44, 16(2026).
