Effect of exercise on fatigue and depression in breastcancer women undergoing chemotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

• Published in: Supportive care in cancer Vol. 32; no. 8; p. 515
• Main Authors: Sikandari, Muhammad Hamza, Siddiqui, Aisha, Ahmad, Menhas, Shaikh, Samiullah, Khuwaja, Sundal, Ahmad, Faraz, Saleem, Abdul Rehman, Sanjay, Kumar, Kumar, Mahesh, Memon, Sumble, Noorani, Ghulam Qadir, Siddiqui, Farina Fatima
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.08.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Antineoplastic Agents - adverse effects; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - complications; Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy; Chemotherapy; Clinical outcomes; Depression - etiology; Exercise; Exercise - physiology; Exercise Therapy - methods; Fatigue; Fatigue - etiology; Female; Humans; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mental depression; Nursing; Nursing Research; Oncology; Pain Medicine; Quality of Life; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Rehabilitation Medicine; Review; Fatigue; Depression; Chemotherapy; Breast Cancer; Quality of Life(QOL)
• ISSN: 0941-4355; 1433-7339; 1433-7339
• DOI: 10.1007/s00520-024-08703-z

This meta-analysis examined the effectiveness of exercise interventions in reducing fatigue and depression among women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. The study followed PRISMA guidelines and analysed seven randomized controlled trials between 2016 and 2022. The results showed that exercise can substantially reduce fatigue levels (MD: -0.40, CI: -0.66, -0.14, P: 0.003), a common side effect of chemotherapy. Although depression did not significantly change (MD: -0.39, CI: -0.98, 0.20, P: 0.19), this study highlights the positive impact of exercise on mental health outcomes. The control group also experienced decreased quality of life (MD: 0.18, CI: 0.01–0.35, P: 0.03), emphasizing the importance of incorporating exercise interventions to improve overall well-being during breast cancer treatment. In addition to primary outcomes, the study revealed that exercise positively affected secondary aspects such as cognitive fatigue, social function, physical function, constipation, and dyspnoea.