Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Meta-Analysis
. 2023 Dec;39(6):151504.
doi: 10.1016/j.soncn.2023.151504. Epub 2023 Sep 22.

Effects of Exercise Rehabilitation on Physical Function in Adults With Hematological Cancer Receiving Active Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Melanie Moore  1 , Joseph M Northey  2 , Philip Crispin  3 , Stuart Semple  4 , Kellie Toohey  5
Affiliations
Free article
Meta-Analysis

Effects of Exercise Rehabilitation on Physical Function in Adults With Hematological Cancer Receiving Active Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Melanie Moore et al. Semin Oncol Nurs. 2023 Dec.
Free article

Abstract

Objective: Evaluate the efficacy of exercise rehabilitation at improving physical function during active treatment for adults diagnosed with a hematological malignancy.

Data source: Systematic review with a multilevel meta-analysis of randomized trails was conducted. Four electronic databases, MEDLINE (EBSCOhost), CINAHL, Scopus, and CENTRAL, were searched using key words and medical subject headings. Articles were screened and assessed against the predetermined eligibility criteria. Data extracted were appraised using the Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomized trials and the GRADE guidelines. A meta-analysis examined four key clinical objectives.

Conclusion: Twelve studies representing a total of 812 participants were included. Analysis of 36 dependent effect sizes from nine studies revealed structured and prescribed exercise interventions improved physical function (SMD = 0.39; 95% CI 0.21-0.57) compared to usual care or an active control. Exercise interventions with a multimodal design consisting of both aerobic and resistance exercise had a statistically significant effect on physical function (P < .001). Exercise intensity also had a statistically significant effect on physical function when prescribed at a moderate (P = .003) and vigorous (P < .001) intensity during active treatment in patients with leukemia or lymphoma.

Implications for nursing practice: This review suggests individuals diagnosed with leukemia or lymphoma can optimize physical function during and immediately post-treatment by attending exercise rehabilitation 3-5 times per weeks performing moderate-vigorous aerobic and resistance exercise. While further research is needed to identify optimal prescription guidelines throughout the treatment continuum, this review underscores the importance for hematology nurses to support patient referrals to exercise oncology professionals to gain positive improvements in physical function.

Keywords: Chemotherapy; Exercise; Hematological cancer; Rehabilitation; Systematic review.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this article.

LinkOut - more resources