Xue-Li Bai, Yu Li, Zan-Fei Feng, Fan Cao, Dong-Dong Wang, Jing Ma, Dan Yang, Dong-Run Li, Qian Fang, Ying Wang, Xiao-Feng Jiang, Dong-Hui Huang, Xiao-Ying Li, Jia-Kai Guo, Na Zhao, Zhi-Tong Li, Qi-Peng Ma, Lei Wang, Qi-Jun Wu, Ting-Ting Gong.

Br J Sports Med. 2025 Apr 29: bjsports-2024-109392.

doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2024-109392. Online ahead of print.

PMID: 40300838 DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2024-109392

Abstract

Objective: To examine the comprehensive health impacts of exercise on people with cancer by systematically summarising existing evidence and assessing the strength and reliability of the associations.

Results: This umbrella review identified 485 associations from 80 articles, all evaluated as moderate to high quality using A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR). Two hundred and sixty (53.6%) associations were statistically significant (p<0.05), 81/485 (16.7%) were supported by high-certainty evidence according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria. Compared with usual care or no exercise, moderate- to high-certainty evidence supported the view that exercise significantly mitigates adverse events associated with cancer and its treatments (eg, cardiac toxicity, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, cognitive impairment and dyspnoea). Exercise also modulates body composition and biomarkers (eg, insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1, insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-1 and C-reactive protein) in people with cancer, and enhances sleep quality, psychological well-being, physiological functioning and social interaction, while improving overall quality of life.

Conclusion: Exercise reduces adverse events and enhances well-being through a range of health outcomes in people with cancer.