Exercise and survival benefit in cancer patients: evidence from a comprehensive meta-analysis

Cancer remains a major global health challenge, and growing evidence suggests that physical activity is a key modifiable factor that may improve survival outcomes in cancer patients. However, a comprehensive, large-scale synthesis of the effects of post-diagnosis physical activity across multiple ca...

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Published in:GeroScience Vol. 47; no. 3; pp. 5235 - 5255
Main Authors: Ungvari, Zoltan, Fekete, Mónika, Varga, Péter, Munkácsy, Gyöngyi, Fekete, János Tibor, Lehoczki, Andrea, Buda, Annamaria, Kiss, Csaba, Ungvari, Anna, Győrffy, Balázs
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.06.2025
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects:
Adults
Aging
Analysis
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Breast cancer
Cancer
Cell Biology
Clinical outcomes
Colorectal cancer
Colorectal carcinoma
Diagnosis
Exercise
Female
Geriatrics/Gerontology
Humans
Life Sciences
Lung cancer
Male
Medical diagnosis
Medical prognosis
Meta-analysis
Molecular Medicine
Mortality
Neoplasms - mortality
Original
Original Article
Patients
Physical activity
Physical fitness
Prostate
Prostate cancer
Public health
Sensitivity analysis
Skin
Skin cancer
Survival
Physical activity
Lung cancer
Colorectal cancer
Breast cancer
Survival
Prostate cancer
Skin cancer
ISSN:2509-2723, 2509-2715, 2509-2723
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Cancer remains a major global health challenge, and growing evidence suggests that physical activity is a key modifiable factor that may improve survival outcomes in cancer patients. However, a comprehensive, large-scale synthesis of the effects of post-diagnosis physical activity across multiple cancer types remains lacking. This meta-analysis aims to systematically evaluate the association between physical activity and survival in patients diagnosed with breast, lung, prostate, colorectal, and skin cancers. We conducted a comprehensive search in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library for studies on physical activity and cancer survival. Eligible studies (January 2000–November 2024) included adults (≥ 18 years) with breast, lung, prostate, colorectal, or skin cancer. Only prospective cohort and case–control studies reporting hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for overall or cancer-specific mortality were included, with a minimum sample size of 100 and at least six months of follow-up. Meta-analysis was performed using metaanalysisonline.com, applying random-effects models and assessing heterogeneity via the I 2 statistic. Sensitivity analyses and publication bias (Egger’s test, funnel plots) were evaluated. The meta-analysis included 151 cohorts with almost 1.5 million cancer patients. Post-diagnosis physical activity was associated with significantly lower cancer-specific mortality across all five cancer types. The greatest benefit was observed in breast cancer, with a pooled hazard ratio (HR) of 0.69 (95% CI: 0.63–0.75), followed by prostate cancer (HR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.62–0.87). Lung cancer patients who engaged in physical activity had a 24% lower risk of cancer-specific death (HR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.69–0.84), while colorectal cancer patients experienced a similar benefit (HR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.63–0.80). In skin cancer, physical activity was associated with a non-significant reduction in mortality (HR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.71–1.05). These findings provide robust evidence supporting the survival benefits of post-diagnosis physical activity in cancer patients, particularly for breast, prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers. The results underscore the potential for incorporating structured physical activity interventions into oncological care to improve long-term patient outcomes.
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ISSN:2509-2723
2509-2715
2509-2723
DOI:10.1007/s11357-025-01647-0