Men diagnosed with prostate cancer who take active and vigorous walks for at least 3 hours a week cut in half the risk of the disease spreading in the next few years, according to a study published in the journal Cancer Research. According to experts from the University of California, San Francisco, regular physical activity improves the health of patients with such a diagnosis. It’s clear, however, that slow walks don’t have the same effect. The study looked at the medical records of 1,455 men in their 60s diagnosed with localized prostate cancer, meaning it hasn’t yet started to spread. Men share what exercises they do and how often they do them per week. During the 31-month follow-up, the US researchers recorded 117 events, including recurrence of the disease, bone tumors and deaths caused by prostate cancer. It found that men who took active walks for at least three hours a week were significantly less at risk of such problems. “It appears that men who walk briskly and vigorously after diagnosis may slow down or even prevent disease progression,” says lead researcher Erin Richman. Scientists believe that active walking may affect the progression of prostate cancer by changing the blood levels of certain proteins that promote the growth of cancer cells. “The findings should be interpreted with caution, as the men who walked more were younger and non-smokers, which could explain some of the observed differences,” explains Erin Richman. The study will be repeated to confirm the results and obtain additional information, the research team said.