How to cite: Briggs LG. “Health: Exercise, Diet, and Drugs in Prostate Cancer.” Grand Rounds in Urology. August 2026. Accessed Oct 2026. https://grandroundsinurology.com/health-exercise-diet-and-drugs-in-prostate-cancer/
Summary
Logan G. Briggs, MD, Urology Resident, Mayo Clinic, Phoenix, Arizona, reviews current evidence supporting exercise, diet, cardiometabolic co-management, and adjunctive pharmacologic therapies for patients with prostate cancer, distinguishing interventions ready for routine clinical practice from those requiring further investigation.
Dr. Briggs explains that the strongest evidence supports structured exercise for men receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Drawing on more than 60 randomized controlled trials, he reviews data demonstrating improvements in quality of life, fatigue, muscle mass, bone health, physical function, and cardiometabolic outcomes. He recommends combining aerobic, resistance, and impact activities while tailoring programs to individual patient preferences. He also supports counseling patients on a Mediterranean diet, noting that observational studies consistently associate greater adherence with improved overall outcomes.
Dr. Briggs also evaluates medications. Although observational studies have suggested potential benefits for metformin, statins, and aspirin, randomized evidence does not currently support prescribing these agents specifically for prostate cancer. Likewise, GLP-1 receptor agonists demonstrate promising biologic rationale, but prospective randomized studies are still needed before these agents can be recommended for cancer-specific indications.
A major focus is implementation of the ABCDE cardiometabolic co-management framework, emphasizing cardiovascular risk assessment, metabolic monitoring, exercise counseling, and collaboration among oncology clinicians, primary care providers, and advanced practice clinicians throughout ADT. A successful lifestyle intervention requires multidisciplinary support, individualized patient engagement, and healthcare systems that integrate nutrition, exercise, and survivorship resources into routine care. Dr. Briggs emphasizes that structured exercise and cardiometabolic management should become standard components of prostate cancer care, while implementation remains the greatest challenge.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Logan Briggs, MD, is a Urology Resident at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Briggs received his MD from Harvard Medical School, in Boston, Massachusetts. His research interests include learning about how physicians and their patients may utilize exercise and nutrition to mitigate the morbidity and mortality associated with medical diseases, especially urologic cancers, and their treatments.
