Men who survive prostate cancer may reduce the potentially damaging side-effects of their treatment by walking at a gentle pace for just three hours per week, a new study suggests.

US researchers set out to investigate how different types of physical activity affect the health-related quality of life of men who have undergone treatment for prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers found in men - over 2,000 Irish men are newly diagnosed every year.

The researchers analysed data relating to over 51,000 men who had been taking part in an ongoing study since the mid-1980s. Those who had survived prostate cancer were questioned about their health-related quality of life.

Common problems associated with prostate cancer included urinary or bowel problems, depression, fatigue, sexual functioning problems and weight gain.

The study found that those who walked even at an easy pace for around three hours per week suffered fewer health-related quality of life issues.

"Non-vigorous walking for three hours per week seems to improve the fatigue, depression and body weight issues that affect many men post-treatment. If you walk even more briskly, for only 90 minutes a week, you could also see similar benefits in these areas," explained the study's lead author, Dr Siobhan Phillips, of Northwestern University in Chicago.

While walking did not appear to have any effect on urinary, bowel or sexual functioning, the researchers said that those who are able to, should be encouraged to start a walking routine, or another non-vigorous activity, as soon as possible after a prostate cancer diagnosis.

"This study shows that you don't have to engage in high-impact, vigorous activities to improve your quality of life after a prostate cancer diagnosis. Since many prostate cancer survivors might find vigorous activities hard to stick with, the good news is that simply focusing on walking more may be enough to make them feel better," Dr Phillips noted.

She added that as cancer survivors have a higher risk of other conditions, such as heart disease, ‘walking may also potentially increase survival and impact their quality of life by preventing the onset of those other conditions'.

Details of these findings are published in the Journal of Cancer Survivorship: Research and Practice.