EX_MEN: EXERCISE AS MEDICINE: Can Exercise Optimize Prostate Cancer Treatment?

Prostate cancer (PC) was the second most frequently reported cancer in men and the fifth leading cause of death worldwide in 2022. Early detection and advances in treatments have significantly improved survival rates for these patients. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), which reduces testosterone levels, is a key treatment for PC, as androgens stimulate the growth of prostate cancer cells. Despite its effectiveness, ADT is associated with several side effects, such as sarcopenia, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and osteoporosis, significantly affecting the quality of life and overall health of PC patients. Exercise is a non-pharmacological strategy to mitigate the adverse effects of ADT, but it is unknown whether it interferes with the therapy's effectiveness. Therefore, the key question of this project is: Can exercise be safely integrated to mitigate the adverse effects of ADT without compromising its therapeutic efficacy in PC? The EX_MEN project aims to evaluate whether different exercise modalities, such as aerobic, resistance, and combined exercise, can mitigate the side effects induced by ADT and how they impact its antitumor efficacy. To this end, various methodologies, including histology, immunohistochemistry, biochemistry, and molecular techniques, will be used to assess metabolic, inflammatory, and structural adaptations in the prostate and other organs and biological fluids. The results obtained in EX_MEN will have significant clinical implications beyond the side effects of ADT and improve the quality of life of patients with PC, using an approach centered on the concept of Exercise is Medicine.