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A seven year breast cancer survivor, Elsa Scafidi, 58, is working hard to keep it from coming back.

“I do the treadmill; I walk an hour every day,” says Scafidi. “I just bought a bike, so I'm doing the bike also.”

In addition to these exercises, Scafidi is trying fitness expert Cathy Lang's boxing workout called "Knockout Breast Cancer.”

“I came out with Knockout Breast Cancer because breast cancer is very close to me,” explains Lang. “My mother and my sister are both survivors. My mom was 48 when she was diagnosed and my sister only 31.”

There are numerous studies out that link exercise to reducing breast cancer risk and improving survival. Doctors say these findings are not just coincidental; there's a real benefit to working out.

“When we talk to women about breast cancer prevention, we talk about really trying to live a healthy lifestyle. That includes exercise and diet,” says Dr. Stephanie Bernik of St. Vincent’s Comprehensive Cancer Center. “The thought is exercise probably reduces the level of estrogen in a woman's body. And we know that reducing estrogen overall will reduce the risk of breast cancer.”

The American Cancer Society recommends 30 minutes of moderate exercise to 45 to 60 minutes of more rigorous activity five days a week or more for cancer prevention. Doctors say almost any kind of exercise can help.

Lang says woman can burn 750 to 850 calories at a time with an hour-long boxing workout. And calorie burn can play a role in keeping those estrogen levels in check.

“Controlling your weight is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer, first diagnosis and also recurrence,” Lang says. “A weight gain affects your hormone levels and hormones are related to breast cancer risk.”

Lang says trying something like boxing can be especially beneficial for women who've been through surgery.

“After you are a survivor, you've had surgery and chemo and radiation, there's a risk of lymphedema and a lot of women are not allowed to lift weights,” she says. “And boxing is an awesome catch-all workout. It is the cardiovascular and it will also help shape your arms and your waist and your back and give you that tone, muscular look some women think they can't have anymore.”

And, Scafidi says, it makes it feel not only like a survivor, but also a real fighter.