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A systematic review and meta‐analysis of exercise interventions for colorectal cancer patients
Author(s) -
Cramer H.,
Lauche R.,
Klose P.,
Dobos G.,
Langhorst J.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
european journal of cancer care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.849
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1365-2354
pISSN - 0961-5423
DOI - 10.1111/ecc.12093
Subject(s) - medicine , colorectal cancer , meta analysis , psychological intervention , physical therapy , medline , oncology , cancer , intensive care medicine , nursing , political science , law
The aim of this systematic review and meta‐analysis was to investigate the effectiveness of exercise for colorectal cancer patients. P ubmed/ M edline, S copus and the C ochrane L ibrary were searched through D ecember 2012 without language restrictions. Randomised controlled trials ( RCTs ) comparing exercise interventions to control conditions were analysed when they assessed health‐related quality of life, fatigue, physical fitness, survival and/or tumour‐associated biomarkers in colorectal cancer patients. Risk of bias was assessed using the risk of bias tool recommended by the C ochrane B ack R eview G roup. Literature search identified 342 non‐duplicate records of which five RCTs with a total of 238 patients were included; three RCTs had low risk of bias. No evidence was found for short‐term effects on quality of life [standardised mean difference ( SMD ) = 0.18; 95% confidence interval ( CI ) −0.39, 0.76; P = 0.53] or fatigue ( SMD = 0.18; 95% CI −0.22, 0.59; P = 0.38). There was strong evidence for short‐term improvements of physical fitness after aerobic exercise compared with controls ( SMD = 0.59; 95% CI 0.25, 0.93; P < 0.01). One RCT each assessed immune parameters and oxidative DNA damage. No study reported survival rates or safety data. Given this insufficient evidence and the lack of safety data, no recommendation can be made regarding exercise interventions as a routine intervention for colorectal cancer patients.