Prostate cancer tied to inactivity

LONDON, July 5 (UPI) -- Men who work at desk jobs are more likely to develop prostate cancer than manual workers, a study indicates.

Researchers found low levels of physical activity in the workplace can significantly raise the risk of cancer, the Daily Mail reported Saturday.

The study determined men who worked as teachers or in office jobs were much more likely to get cancer than those who spend much of their day on their feet, such as laborers, bakers and barbers.

Specifically, men who spend their day working at a desk are 30 percent more likely to develop prostate cancer than manual workers, the study found.

For their study, researchers from the University of Athens studied 320 prostate cancer patients and compared them with a similar group of men free from the disease, the British newspaper reported.

"In 1997, physical activity was not even listed as a possible protective factor against prostate cancer, said researcher Dr. Areti Lagiou. "During the last decade, however, evidence has accumulated that it may convey protection."

The study's findings were published in the recent issue of the European Journal of Cancer Prevention.