Application of physical exercise therapies in breast cancer survivors and their effects on the inflammatory profile: A narrative review

Abstract

Background: One of the adverse effects of cancer treatments is the exacerbation of inflammation, which generates numerous limitations and contributes to the development of several comorbidities and the recurrence of cancer itself. Physical exercise (PE) has been proposed as an efficient complementary strategy to combat the inflammatory effects of oncological treatments and to prevent the development of comorbidities, but its adequate application in breast cancer survivors (BCS) requires the establishment of consensuses and practical recommendations.

Objective: This study aimed to review the randomized controlled trials that evaluated the influence of PE in the inflammatory profile of BCS.

Methods: The search for articles published between 1999 and 2020 was done in PsycINFO, PubMed, Cochrane, Science Direct, and Scopus databases.

Results: Current knowledge reveals the effectiveness of PE in the functional independence and health of BCS. Evidence of the capacity of PE to improve the inflammatory profile and the immune response in BCS has also been described. However, the heterogeneity of the studies regarding structural training variables, types of exercise, stages of intervention, and severity of the disease, still do not allow the establishment of precise guidelines for the prescription and progression of exercise to improve the inflammatory process in BCS.

Discussion: . This review suggests a possible strategy to be used in the assessment, training prescription, and rehabilitation of BCS, to support the development of new studies and the work of exercise professionals in the prescription and application of physical training to improve health and inflammatory status in BCS.

Keywords: Breast cancer survivors; Comorbidities; Inflammatory profile; Physical training; Prevention.