Evidence of physical exercise on the treatment of cancer-related fatigue in childhood cancer patients. A thematic review

Abstract

Objective This descriptive review aimed to gather current evidence that supports exercise and physical activity interventions on fatigue management in childhood cancer. Methods An electronic search for literature within the last five years was conducted. The results were classified by study design and analyzed according to the aim of this study. Results 16 articles of several study-design including clinical trials and systematic reviews were appraised. Significant differences in favor of exercise interventions can be found, some other positive effects on functional mobility and quality of life are also described. Conclusions It is still needed to define exercise dosage criteria required to adapt the treatment according to all pediatric cancer variants, ages, and stages, so more research is suggested.