Physiologic and psychologic adaptation to exercise interventions in lung cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this meta-analysis is to investigate the effectiveness of exercise interventions in patients with lung cancer (LC) during chemotherapy regarding physiological and psychological outcomes.

METHODS

Databases including MEDLINE and EMBASE were used to find relevant randomized controlled trails that explored outcomes of exercise interventions for patients with LC during chemotherapy up to June 2020. Effect sizes were calculated by standardized mean difference statistics.

RESULTS

Six studies were included that involved 244 participants with average age of 65 years. Patients with LC participating in exercise interventions during chemotherapy had significantly increased strength, forced expired volume, and quality of life as well as significantly decreased pain. Effective exercise intervention characteristics were combined aerobic and resistance exercise, performance more than 5 times a week, moderate to vigorous intensity, and 1-h sessions.

CONCLUSION

Supervised participation in exercise improves strength, forced expired volume, and quality of life and relieves pain and depression during chemotherapy.