Cramer, H., Lauche, R., Klose, P., Dobos, G., & Langhorst, J. (2014). A systematic review and meta-analysis of exercise interventions for colorectal cancer patients. European Journal of Cancer Care, 23, 3–14.

DOI Link

Purpose

STUDY PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of exercise on patients with colorectal cancer

TYPE OF STUDY: Meta-analysis and systematic review

Search Strategy

DATABASES USED: PubMed, Cochrane Collaboration, Scopus
 
INCLUSION CRITERIA: Randomized, controlled trial; adult patients; comparison of exercise interventions with no treatment or active treatment; assessment of quality of life, fatigue, fitness, survival or biomarkers
 
EXCLUSION CRITERIA: None specified

Literature Evaluated

TOTAL REFERENCES RETRIEVED: 415 studies
 
EVALUATION METHOD AND COMMENTS ON LITERATURE USED: Risk of selection, performance, attrition, reporting, and detection bias evaluation. Most had multiple risks of bias.

Sample Characteristics

  • FINAL NUMBER STUDIES INCLUDED = 5 studies, 2 in meta-analysis 
  • TOTAL PATIENTS INCLUDED IN REVIEW = 238
  • SAMPLE RANGE ACROSS STUDIES: 18–102
  • KEY SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS: All had colorectal cancer.

Phase of Care and Clinical Applications

PHASE OF CARE: Not specified or not applicable

Results

Meta-analysis of three studies showed no significant overall effect of exercise on fatigue or quality of life. Exercise was associated with improved physical fitness (p = 0.0006).

Conclusions

Exercise was shown to be effective in improving physical fitness; however, physical fitness did not have a significant effect on fatigue in patients with colorectal cancer in this study.

Limitations

  • Limited number of studies included
  • High heterogeneity
  • Low sample sizes

Nursing Implications

Exercise has been shown to improve fatigue in multiple patient groups. This review was limited by the small number of studies limiting samples to patients with colorectal cancer.

Legacy ID

6304