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Cited by 199Cancer survivorship and careChildhood Cancer Survivors' Quality of LifePhysical Activity and Health

Therapeutic effects of aerobic and resistance exercises for cancer survivors: a systematic review of meta-analyses of clinical trials

Fuller, Joel T, Hartland, Michael C, Maloney, Luke T, Davison, Kade·2018·British Journal of Sports Medicine
DOI 10.1136/bjsports-2017-098285
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Abstract

Objective: To systematically appraise and summarise meta-analyses investigating the effect of exercise compared with a control condition on health outcomes in cancer survivors. Design: Umbrella review of intervention systematic reviews. Data sources: Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and MEDLINE databases were searched using a predefined search strategy. Eligibility criteria: Eligible meta-analyses compared health outcomes between cancer survivors participating in an exercise intervention and a control condition. Health outcomes were cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, health-related quality of life, cancer-related fatigue and depression. Pooled effect estimates from each meta-analysis were quantified using standardised mean differences and considered trivial (<0.20), small (0.20–0.49), moderate (0.50–0.79) and large (≥0.80). Findings were summarised using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system. Results: There were 65 eligible articles that reported a total of 140 independent meta-analyses. 139/140 meta-analyses suggested a beneficial effect of exercise. The beneficial effect was statistically significant in 104 (75%) meta-analyses. Most effect sizes were moderate for cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength and small for cancer-related fatigue, health-related quality of life and depression. The quality of evidence was variable according to the GRADE scale, with most studies rated low or moderate quality. Median incidence of exercise-related adverse events was 3.5%. Conclusion: Exercise likely has an important role in helping to manage physical function, mental health, general well-being and quality of life in people undergoing and recovering from cancer and side effects of treatment. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42015020194 .

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Crossref · 10.1136/bjsports-2017-098285

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  • Research supports that cancer survivors can respond positively to exercise training by improving cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance, and body composition.

    “Research to date supports the potential of cancer survivors to respond positively to an exercise training stimulus by improving individual components of physical fitness, including cardiorespiratory fitness (i.e., VO2peak)(86), muscular strength and endurance(87, 88), body composition(89).”

    From Exercise Guidelines for Cancer Survivors: Consensus Statement from International Multidisciplinary Roundtable (2019) · cites this paper as [87]

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Authors
Fuller, J. T., Hartland, M. C., Maloney, L. T., & Davison, K.
Affiliations
University of South Australia (AU)
Corresponding author
Fuller, Joel T
ORCID
Venue
British Journal of Sports Medicine
Publisher
BMJ
Published
2018-03-16
Volume
52
Issue
20
Pages
1311-1311
ISSN
  • 0306-3674 (ISSN-L)
  • 1473-0480
DOI
10.1136/bjsports-2017-098285
OpenAlex
W2789775859
Cited by
199
References
94
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 36 · 2022: 35 · 2021: 38 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 4
FWCI
2.12
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • British Journal of Sports Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer survivorship and care
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Childhood Cancer Survivors' Quality of Life
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
Keywords
cancer survivors, aerobic exercise, resistance training, exercise intervention, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, health-related quality of life, cancer-related fatigue, depression, physical function, mental health
MeSH terms
Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Cancer Survivors, Depression, Exercise Therapy, Fatigue, Humans, Neoplasms, Quality of Life, Meta-Analysis as Topic, Muscle Strength, Resistance Training

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