Exercise for people with cancer: a systematic review

Abstract

Background This systematic review was completed by the Exercise for People with Cancer Guideline Development Group, a group organized by Cancer Care Ontario’s Program in Evidence-Based Care (pebc). It provides background and guidance for clinicians with respect to exercise for people living with cancer in active and post treatment. It focuses on the benefits of specific types of exercise, pre-screening requirements for new referrals, safety concerns, and delivery models.Methods Using the pebc’s standardized approach, medline and embase were systematically searched for existing guidelines, systematic reviews, and primary literature.Results The search identified two guidelines, eighteen systematic reviews, and twenty-nine randomized controlled trials with relevance to the topic. The present review provides conclusions about the duration, frequency, and intensity of exercise appropriate for people living with cancer.Conclusions The evidence shows that exercise is safe and provides benefit in quality of life and in muscular and aerobic fitness for people with cancer both during and after treatment. The evidence is sufficient to support the promotion of exercise for adults with cancer, and some evidence supports the promotion of exercise in group or supervised settings and for a long period of time to improve quality of life and muscular and aerobic fitness. Exercise at moderate intensities could also be sustainable for longer periods and could encourage exercise to be continued over an individual’s lifetime. It is important that a pre-screening assessment be conducted to evaluate the effects of disease, treatments, and comorbidities.

Personalised and progressive neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in patients with cancer—a clinical case series

“…Many of these complications can reduce functional capacity and exacerbate health related quality of life (HR-QoL) and limit independence [1,2]. A large body of evidence demonstrates the safety and efficacy of voluntary exercise in adult cancer survivors across the cancer care continuum for counteracting many of these side effects [3][4][5]. As such, international guidelines recommend cancer survivors avoid inactivity, and achieve a weekly exercise prescription of 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise, and 2-3 resistance training sessions [6].…”

Development, implementation, and effects of a cancer center's exercise‐oncology program

“…11,32 In January 2016, we adapted our program model to focus on patients with an identified, cancer-related impairment and provide them with 8 weeks of conditioning and rehabilitative exercise prescriptions, including follow-ups at 3 and 6 months. 11,32 In January 2016, we adapted our program model to focus on patients with an identified, cancer-related impairment and provide them with 8 weeks of conditioning and rehabilitative exercise prescriptions, including follow-ups at 3 and 6 months.…”

“…The exercise prescription targeted achieving the activity guidelines for people with cancer, 11 which were individualized to reflect baseline assessment information and participant goals. Exercises were instructed to be completed independently (eg, at home, in the community, or at a local fitness center), but a weekly group exercise class was available for participants to review and practice exercise techniques, to have their needs for exercise adaptation/progression addressed, and/or to benefit from social support among exercising peers.…”

“…A decision to evolve the exercise program arose given the growing number of referrals, especially for patients with complex, cancer-related impairments who require more supervision, as well as emerging research highlighting the specific benefits of group and facility-based exercise for people with cancer. 11,32 In January 2016, we adapted our program model to focus on patients with an identified, cancer-related impairment and provide them with 8 weeks of conditioning and rehabilitative exercise prescriptions, including follow-ups at 3 and 6 months. The program model, referred to as Cancer Rehabilitation and Exercise (CaRE), follows a similar sequence of patient experiences (ie, comprehensive assessment and baseline fitness assessment and exercise prescription), but now includes options for a group-based (supervised, in-center) stream or homebased stream, each with education modules (in-person or web-based, respectively) that address a variety of survivorship needs.…”

Cancer survivors’ experiences of a community-based cancer-specific exercise programme: results of an exploratory survey

“…However, many people treated for cancer experience ongoing poor health and mental well-being and reduced quality of life (QoL) [2]. Exercise or physical activity (PA) is proven to be beneficial for those with cancer and increasingly evidence shows it can be safely performed during and after treatment, provided that individual limitations are considered and monitored [3]. PA can preserve or improve physical function and psychological well-being, decrease the impact of treatment side-effects, reduce the risk of recurrence, and increase survival [4].…”