Exercise linked to sharper attention and slower biological aging after breast cancer

A year-long exercise programme helped breast cancer survivors improve attention and showed signs of slower biological aging, according to two companion studies from a University of California San Diego randomized trial published Sept. 30 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Researchers enrolled 253 survivors who had finished active treatment and reported both low physical activity and cognitive difficulties. Participants were randomly assigned either to a remotely delivered exercise programme with fitness trackers and coaching toward 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity a week, or to a health-and-wellness programme with coaching contact but no exercise prescription.

Both groups improved on cognitive measures, and the trial’s primary outcomes — processing speed and self-reported cognition — did not differ significantly between arms. The exercise group, however, showed greater gains in attention at six and 12 months, and better memory at six months. Lead author Sheri Hartman noted that a modest increase of about 35 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity per week was linked to those benefits.

In a companion analysis of 124 participants, two epigenetic clocks estimated biological age. At baseline, epigenetic ages averaged about 8.7 years older than chronological age. Over 12 months, aging markers advanced nearly 10 months in the wellness group versus about one month in the exercise group. Faster epigenetic aging tracked with weaker attention gains, suggesting activity may buffer some cognitive effects after treatment — though larger studies are still needed.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional for personal medical decisions.

Sources: Exercise Program Supports Better Attention and Slows Biological Aging in Breast Cancer Survivors — UC San Diego Today: https://today.ucsd.edu/story/exercise-program-supports-better-attention-and-slows-biological-aging-in-breast-cancer-survivors | Exercise Improves Cognition and Biological Aging After Breast Cancer — Inside Precision Medicine: https://www.insideprecisionmedicine.com/topics/oncology/exercise-improves-cognition-and-biological-aging-after-breast-cancer/ | Associations of BDNF methylation and rs6265 genotype with cognitive response… EPICC Trial — GeroScience: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11357-025-02004-x