Cited by 1,096Cancer survivorship and careCancer-related cognitive impairment studiesChildhood Cancer Survivors' Quality of Life

Exercise for the management of cancer-related fatigue in adults

Open access
Cramp, Fiona, Byron-Daniel, James·2012·Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Cancer-related fatigue is recognised as an important symptom associated with cancer and its treatment. A number of studies have investigated the effects of physical activity in reducing cancer-related fatigue. This is an updated version of the original Cochrane review published in The Cochrane Library (2008, Issue 1). The original review identified some benefits of physical activity on fatigue in cancer both during and after adjuvant treatment. We identified a number of limitations in the evidence, providing clear justification for an updated review. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of exercise on cancer-related fatigue both during and after cancer treatment. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (Issue 1, 2011), MEDLINE (1966 to March 2011), EMBASE (1980 to March 2011), CINAHL (1982 to March 2011), British Nursing Index (January 1984 to March 2011), AMED (1985 to March 2011), SIGLE (1980 to March 2011) and Dissertation Abstracts International (1861 to March 2011) using key words. We also searched reference lists off all studies identified for inclusion and relevant reviews. In addition, we handsearched relevant journals and contacted experts in the field of cancer-related fatigue. SELECTION CRITERIA: We sought and included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the effect of exercise on cancer-related fatigue in adults. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently assessed the risk of bias of studies and extracted data based upon predefined criteria. Where data were available we performed meta-analyses for fatigue using a random-effects model. MAIN RESULTS: For this update we identified a total of 56 studies (4068 participants) for inclusion (28 from the original search and 28 from the updated search), with the majority carried out in participants with breast cancer (28 studies). A meta-analysis of all fatigue data, incorporating 38 comparisons, provided data for 1461 participants who received an exercise intervention and 1187 control participants. At the end of the intervention period exercise was seen to be statistically more effective than the control intervention (standardised mean difference (SMD) -0.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.37 to -0.17). Benefits of exercise on fatigue were observed for interventions delivered during or post-adjuvant cancer therapy. In relation to diagnosis, we identified benefits of exercise on fatigue for breast and prostate cancer but not for those with haematological malignancies. Finally, aerobic exercise significantly reduced fatigue but resistance training and alternative forms of exercise failed to reach significance. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the updated review have enabled a more precise conclusion to be made in that aerobic exercise can be regarded as beneficial for individuals with cancer-related fatigue during and post-cancer therapy, specifically those with solid tumours. Further research is required to determine the optimal type, intensity and timing of an exercise intervention.

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1002/14651858.cd006145.pub3

Cites

144 of 144 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. Santa Mina D, Alibhai S, Pirbaglou M, Matthew A, Trachtenberg J, Fleshner N, et al. Aerobic versus resistance exercise training for prostate cancer patients on ADT. In: Psycho-Oncology. Vol. 19 (Suppl 2). 2010:S196.
  2. Dimeo FC. Effects of exercise on cancer-related fatigue. Cancer 2001;92:1689-93. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Mock V. Fatigue management: evidence and guidelines for practice. Cancer 2001;92:1699-707. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Winningham ML. How exercise mitigates fatigue: implications for people receiving cancer therapy. In: Johnson RM, editors(s). The Biotherapy of Cancer V. Pittsburgh: Oncology Nursing Press, 1992:16-20. [Google Scholar]

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Cramp, F., & Byron-Daniel, J.
Affiliations
  • University of the West of England (GB)
  • School of Psychology; University of the West of England; Bristol UK
Venue
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2012-11-14
Volume
2021
Issue
9
Pages
CD006145-CD006145
ISSN
  • 1361-6137 (ISSN-L)
  • 1465-1858
OpenAlex
W2107519665
Cited by
1,096
References
144
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 40 · 2024: 42 · 2023: 44 · 2022: 74 · 2021: 59 · 2020: 70 · 2019: 65 · 2018: 67 · 2017: 93 · 2016: 81 · 2015: 91 · 2014: 83 · 2013: 83 · 2012: 59
FWCI
10.45
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UWE Research Repository (UWE Bristol) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
National Institute for Health and Care Research (HTA/10/81/01, 10/81/01)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Cancer-related cognitive impairment studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Childhood Cancer Survivors' Quality of Life
Keywords
cancer-related fatigue, physical activity, breast cancer, adjuvant therapy, post-treatment fatigue, exercise intervention, symptom management, adult cancer patients, resistance training, aerobic exercise, flexibility training, balance training, cancer survivors, quality of life, anxiety, exercise adherence
MeSH terms
Adult, Fatigue, Female, Humans, Male, Neoplasms, Exercise, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review