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Exercise Therapy in Oncology—the Impact on Quality of Life and Side Effects
Freerk T Baumann1, Wiebke Jensen, Anika Berling-Ernst
1Working Group Oncological Exercise Medicine, Department I of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Center for Integrated Oncology Aachen Bonn Cologne Düsseldorf, Cologne; Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hubertus Wald Tumor Center, University Cancer Center Hamburg (UCCH); Department of Medicine III, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilians University (LMU) Munich, Cancer and Immunometabolism Research Group, Munich, Gene Center, Munich; Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Regensburg; West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen.
Background:
The diagnosis and treatment of cancer are highly stressful. Exercise therapy is often used to mitigate the adverse effects of treatment. But how good is the evidence base, and what has changed in recent years? In this narrative review, we present the current data and what it implies for the care of adults with cancer.
Methods:
This review is based on data from meta-analyses and systematic reviews concerning 16 relevant clinical endpoints (outcomes) of exercise therapy for cancer patients.
Results:
The literature evaluated for this paper reveals that targeted exercise therapy is feasible and safe under appropriate supervision. It is highly effective for improving eight endpoints (anxiety, depression, fatigue, quality of life, physical function, secondary lymphedema after breast cancer, urinary incontinence, post-mastectomy pain syndrome in breast cancer) and may also have a beneficial effect on sleep quality, cardiotoxicity, and cognitive function. Less conclusive studies are currently available with respect to chemotherapy-induced polyneuropathy, nausea/vomiting, and bone health. There is currently insufficient data to suggest any benefit with respect to sexual function and risk factors for falling.
Conclusion:
The data shows that exercise therapy for cancer patients is safe and has manifold effects on selected clinically relevant parameters. Further studies should be performed regarding the possible utility of exercise therapy against treatment-related side effects for which the evidence is currently insufficient. On the basis of the currently available and already existing recommendations, quality-assured exercise therapy can be recommended to cancer patients suffering from a wide range of neoplastic conditions.
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