Effect of physical exercise on muscle mass and strength in cancer patients during treatment—a systematic review
Open accessAbstract
Cancer treatment and its side effects may cause muscle wasting. Physical exercise has the potential to increase muscle mass and strength and to improve physical function in cancer patients undergoing treatment. A systematic review was conducted to study the effect of physical exercise (aerobic, resistance or a combination of both) on muscle mass and strength in cancer patients with different type and stage of cancer disease. Electronic searches were performed up to January 11th 2012, identifying 16 randomised controlled trials for final data synthesis. The studies demonstrated that aerobic and resistance exercise improves upper and lower body muscle strength more than usual care. Few studies have assessed the effect of exercise on muscle mass. Most studies were performed in patients with early stage breast or prostate cancer. Evidence on the effect of physical exercise on muscle strength and mass in cancer patients with advanced disease is lacking. More exercise studies in patients with advanced cancer and at risk of cancer cachexia are warranted.
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Both aerobic and resistance exercise might improve upper and lower body muscle strength in patients with cancer.
“Both aerobic and resistance exercise might improve upper and lower body muscle strength in patients with cancer.117”
From Age-related and disease-related muscle loss: The effect of diabetes, obesity, and other diseases (2014) · cites this paper as [117]
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- Authors
- Stene, G. B., Helbostad, J. L., Balstad, T. R., Riphagen, I. I., Kaasa, S., & Oldervoll, L. M.
- Affiliations
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NO)
- Corresponding author
- Stene, G.B.
- Venue
- Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2013-12
- Volume
- 88
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 573-593
- ISSN
- 1040-8428 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1964900534
- Cited by
- 210
- References
- 56
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 1.58
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- cc-by-nc-nd
- www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
- Locations
- Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- BIBSYS Brage (BIBSYS (Norway)) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet
- U.S. National Library of Medicine
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nutrition and Health in Aging
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Muscle Physiology and Disorders
- Keywords
- physical activity, muscle mass, muscle strength, cancer patients, cancer cachexia, muscle atrophy, aerobic exercise, resistance training, breast cancer, prostate cancer, cancer treatment side effects, physical function
- MeSH terms
- Humans, Neoplasms, Organ Size, Exercise, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Treatment Outcome, Muscle, Skeletal, Muscle Strength
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