The effects of aerobic exercise in patients with cancer-related fatigue: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Tong Wang, Jiaxin Deng, Weicheng Li, Qiubo Zhang, Haoming Yan and Yongfeng Liu

PLOS ONE, 2025, vol. 20, issue 6, 1-20

Abstract: Background: Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is characterized by an unusual and persistent sensation of tiredness that can occur during or after treatment, potentially impacting both physical and mental capability, and which does not ameliorate with rest. Aerobic exercise (AE) has been identified as a potent modality to mitigate the severity of CRF in such patients. Objective: This study aims to investigate the efficacy of AE in alleviating CRF among patients. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was implemented on PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, Cochrane, and Embase until June 2024. Studies were selected based on the following PICOS criteria: Participants (P): cancer patients undergoing treatment or in recovery; Intervention (I): aerobic exercise, including activities such as walking, running, yoga, or tai chi; AE interventions conducted during both treatment and recovery were included. Comparison (C): usual care, no-treatment/wait-list, or attention/activity placebo controls; Outcome (O): cancer-related fatigue (CRF) measured by validated scales; Study design (S): randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.3. Results: The results indicate that AE exerts a significant impact on CRF, but the heterogeneity is high (SMD = −0.76, 95% CI: −1.30 to −0.22, P

Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0325100

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0325100

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