Cochrane Systematic Review

Title: Resistance training for fatigue in people with cancer

Good to know: Cancer-related fatigue is one of the most common symptoms associated with cancer and its treatment. Different types of exercise have shown beneficial effects on fatigue, but previous evidence on resistance training has been promising yet inconclusive.

This review found that resistance training during anticancer therapy probably has a beneficial short-term effect (up to 12 weeks after the intervention) on cancer-related fatigue and may also have a small beneficial effect on quality of life. Evidence on medium- and long-term effects (beyond 12 weeks) is very uncertain or insufficient.

For resistance training initiated after completion of anticancer therapy, the evidence regarding short-term effects on cancer-related fatigue is very uncertain. There may be a small beneficial effect on short-term quality of life. No data are available on medium- or long-term effects.

Limitations: Very low to low certainty of the evidence for many outcomes; insufficient and inconsistent reporting of adverse events; no studies investigating resistance training initiated before anticancer therapy; very limited data on medium- and long-term effects.

Evidence: Cochrane Review (literature search in October 2023); inclusion of 21 randomized controlled trials with 2,221 participants; comparison between structured resistance training (at least five supervised sessions) and no training to assess effects on cancer-related fatigue, quality of life, and adverse events at different follow-up periods (short-, medium-, and long-term).