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The Role of Physical Activity in Managing Fatigue in Cancer Survivors

  • Cancer (MF Leitzmann, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

This review provides an up-to-date overview of the evidence relating to how physical inactivity ameliorates cancer-related fatigue. A summary of the postulated biological mechanisms underpinning the relationship is presented.

Recent Findings

Systematic reviews and meta-analyses synthesising the results of randomised controlled trials of physical activity interventions to reduce fatigue broadly conclude that aerobic and combination exercise may be the most helpful, while resistance training alone is less efficacious. Further, light- and moderate-intensity physical activity interventions appeared to reduce fatigue, whereas vigorous-intensity activity may exacerbate the condition. Physical activity interventions result in greater reductions in cancer-related fatigue when delivered post-treatment. Biological mechanisms that may explain how physical activity can improve different elements of cancer-related fatigue include inflammation; the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and circadian rhythm dysregulation; serotonin dysregulation; and alterations in ATP and muscle metabolism.

Summary

Physical activity is well tolerated by cancer survivors and results in modest improvements in cancer-related fatigue. Much of the research in this field has been from small-scale feasibility trials. In order to help clinicians and allied health professionals tailor exercise prescriptions to individual needs, further research is required. New trials in this field should implement rigorous inclusion criteria, be fully powered to detect effects in sub-group analyses, incorporate multiple sites, and have well-defined control conditions. There is also a need to better understand how physical activity affects different subtypes of cancer-related fatigue.

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Funding

van Roekel was supported by an Endeavour Research Fellowship from the Department of Education and Training of the Australian Government (6059-2017); Lynch was funded by a National Breast Cancer Foundation Fellowship (ECF-15-012).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Sciences, University of Girona, Girona, Spain

    Bernat-Carles Serdà i Ferrer

  2. Department of Epidemiology, GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Eline van Roekel

  3. Cancer Epidemiology and Intelligence Division, Cancer Council Victoria, 615 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia

    Eline van Roekel & Brigid M. Lynch

  4. Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

    Brigid M. Lynch

  5. Physical Activity Laboratory, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia

    Brigid M. Lynch

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  1. Bernat-Carles Serdà i Ferrer
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Correspondence to Brigid M. Lynch.

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Conflict of Interest

Bernat-Carles Serdà i Ferrer, Eline van Roekel, and Brigid M. Lynch declare they have no conflict of interest.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Cancer

Appendix

Appendix

Aim

Search for systematic reviews and meta-analyses focused on physical activity (exposure or intervention) and cancer-related fatigue (outcome) in adults diagnosed with any stage of cancer, at any time post-diagnosis (including palliative care).

Data Sources and Search Strategy

The search was focused on systematic reviews and meta-analyses published from January 2013 to May of 2018 and updated to Jun 2018. The literature search was performed using MEDLINE and PsycINFO. All searches were conducted by one author [BCSF]. All references were imported into EndNote X5.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion criteria:

  • Fatigue as a main outcome.

  • Physical activity intervention.

  • Primary participants had a diagnosis of cancer.

  • Reviews and/or meta-analysis.

  • Studies written in Spanish, English, or French.

Exclusion criteria:

  • Other chronic diseases.

  • Not using physical activity as primary intervention.

PubMed Search

The search strategy for identification of the studies included Medical Subject Heading terms combined with the Boolean terms as follows:

‘Exercise’ [Mesh] OR ‘Exercise Therapy’ [Mesh] OR ‘Resistance Training’ [Mesh] OR ‘Sports’ [Mesh] OR ‘Yoga’ [Mesh] AND ‘Neoplasms’ [Mesh] AND ‘Fatigue’ [Mesh]

Filters: Meta-Analysis, Review; From 01/01/2013 to 12/06/2018. The search identified 58 potentially relevant reviews.

PsycINFO

The search strategy implemented were ‘Cancer’ ‘Exercise’ OR ‘Physical activity’ AND ‘Cancer-related Fatigue’ AND Methodology Systematic Review OR Meta Analysis AND Peer-Reviewed Journals Only AND Year: 2013 to 2018 and identified 90 potentially relevant reviews.

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Serdà i Ferrer, BC., van Roekel, E. & Lynch, B.M. The Role of Physical Activity in Managing Fatigue in Cancer Survivors. Curr Nutr Rep 7, 59–69 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-018-0234-1

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