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