ECU PhD student Mr Francesco Bettariga found that a single bout of exercise increased the levels of myokines, a protein produced by muscles which have anti-cancer effects, and which could reduce the proliferation of cancer growth by 20 to 30 per cent.

"Exercise has emerged as a therapeutic intervention in the management of cancer, and a large body of evidence exists that show the safety and effectiveness of exercise as medicine, either during or post cancer treatment," Mr Bettariga said.

His research with survivors of breast cancer measured myokine levels before, immediately after and 30 minutes post a single bout of either resistance of high intensity interval training and found that both sets of exercise had a resultant increase in myokine levels.

While higher levels of myokines were expected in a healthy population, post a vigorous workout, Mr Bettariga investigated whether breast cancer survivors would see the same results, given the impact that cancer treatments and cancer itself often has on the body.

"The results from the study show that both types of exercise really work to produce these anti-cancer myokines in breast cancer survivors. The results from this study are excellent motivators to add exercise as standard care in the treatment of cancer," Mr Bettariga said.

He added that the long-term implications of elevated myokine levels should be further investigated, particularly in relation to cancer recurrence.

Further research by Mr Bettariga investigated how changes in body composition, following consistent exercise, could impact inflammation, which plays a key role in breast cancer recurrence and mortality by promoting tumour progression.

Persistent inflammation not only promotes tumour progression by influencing cell proliferation, survival, invasiveness, and metastasis, but also inhibits immune function. Given that the cancer itself and the side-effects of treatments can elevate levels of inflammatory biomarkers, survivors of breast cancer are at increased risk of cancer progression, recurrence and mortality.

"Strategies are needed to reduce inflammation which may provide a less supportive environment for cancer progression, leading to a lower risk of recurrence and mortality in survivors of breast cancer," Mr Bettariga said.

The new research found that by reducing fat mass and increasing lean mass, through consistent and persistent exercise, cancer survivors had a better chance at reducing inflammation.

"If we are able to improve body composition, we have a better chance of decreasing inflammation because we are improving lean mass and reducing fat mass, which is responsible for releasing anti and pro-inflammatory markers," Mr Bettariga said.

Unfortunately, quick fixes to reduce fat mass would not have the same beneficial effects, Mt Bettariga stressed.

"You never want to reduce your weight without exercising, because you need to build or preserve muscle mass and produce these chemicals that you can't do through just diet alone."

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the top risk factor for premature death, associated with heart disease, strokes and heart attacks. However, inaccuracies in the most common form of blood pressure measurement mean that as many as 30% of cases of high blood pressure could be missed.

The researchers, from the University of Cambridge, built an experimental model that explained the physics behind these inaccuracies and provided a better understanding of the mechanics of cuff-based blood pressure readings.

The researchers say that some straightforward changes, which don't necessarily involve replacing standard cuff-based measurement, could lead to more accurate blood pressure readings and better results for patients. Their results are reported in the journal PNAS Nexus.

Anyone who has ever had their blood pressure taken will be familiar with the cuff-based method. This type of measurement, also known as the auscultatory method, relies on inflating a cuff around the upper arm to the point where it cuts off blood flow to the lower arm, and then a clinician listens for tapping sounds in the arm through a stethoscope while the cuff is slowly deflated.

Blood pressure is inferred from readings taken from a pressure gauge attached to the deflating cuff. Blood pressure is given as two separate numbers: a maximum (systolic) and a minimum (diastolic) pressure. A blood pressure reading of 120/80 is considered 'ideal'.

"The auscultatory method is the gold standard, but it overestimates diastolic pressure, while systolic pressure is underestimated," said co-author Kate Bassil from Cambridge's Department of Engineering. "We have a good understanding of why diastolic pressure is overestimated, but why systolic pressure is underestimated has been a bit of a mystery."

"Pretty much every clinician knows blood pressure readings are sometimes wrong, but no one could explain why they are being underestimated -- there's a real gap in understanding," said co-author Professor Anurag Agarwal, also from Cambridge's Department of Engineering.

Previous non-clinical studies into measurement inaccuracy used rubber tubes that did not fully replicate how arteries collapse under cuff pressure, which masked the underestimation effect.

The researchers built a simplified physical model to isolate and study the effects of downstream blood pressure -- the blood pressure in the part of the arm below the cuff. When the cuff is inflated and blood flow to the lower arm is cut off, it creates a very low downstream pressure. By reproducing this condition in their experimental rig, they determined this pressure difference causes the artery to stay closed for longer while the cuff deflates, delaying the reopening and leading to an underestimation of blood pressure.

This physical mechanism -- the delayed reopening due to low downstream pressure -- is the likely cause of underestimation, a previously unidentified factor. "We are currently not adjusting for this error when diagnosing or prescribing treatments, which has been estimated to lead to as many as 30% of cases of systolic hypertension being missed," said Bassil.

Instead of the rubber tubes used in earlier physical models of arteries, the Cambridge researchers used tubes that lay flat when deflated and fully close when the cuff pressure is inflated, the key condition for reproducing the low downstream pressure observed in the body.

The researchers say that there is a range of potential solutions to this underestimation, which include raising the arm in advance of measurement, potentially producing a predictable downstream pressure and therefore predictable underestimation. This change doesn't require new devices, just a modified protocol.

"You might not even need new devices, just changing how the measurement is done could make it more accurate," said Agarwal.

However, if new devices for monitoring blood pressure are developed, they might ask for additional inputs which correlate with downstream pressure, to adjust what the 'ideal' readings might be for each individual. These may include age, BMI, or tissue characteristics.

The researchers are hoping to secure funding for clinical trials to test their findings in patients, and are looking for industrial or research partners to help refine their calibration models and validate the effect in diverse populations. Collaboration with clinicians will also be essential to implement changes to clinical practice.

The research was supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).