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. 2023 Nov 4;31(12):670. doi: 10.1007/s00520-023-08126-2

Table 2.

Description of the exercise intervention programs of the studies included in the systematic review

Author Exercise intervention Progression Recruitment / adherence rate Safety Dropouts
During anticancer treatment
Rogers L.Q. et al. (2013) 6 weeks supervised + 6 weeks unsupervised resistance training, twice a week, 9 exercises vs. usual care Yes

RR: 45.0%

AR: 83% (supervised); 62% (unsupervised)

CG: non-EX related left arm pain (non-serious); hospital admission for narcotic-related dehydration and constipation (serious); IG: non-EX related hospital admission for infectious diarrhea IG:28,6%; CG:0%
Samuel S.R. et al. (2013) 11 weeks of supervised aerobic training 15/20 min per session at 3–5 RPE + resistance training, 2–3 sets of 8–15 reps at 3–5 RPE, 5 days per week vs. usual care NR

RR: 92.3%

AR:NR

No IG:16,7%; CG: 4,2%
Capozzi L.C. et al. (2016) 12 weeks of supervised and unsupervised resistance training four times per week (twice supervised + twice home-based), 10 exercises, 2–3 sets for 8 reps vs. usual care Yes

RR: 55.6%

AR: 45.2%

NR IG:38.7%; CG:20.7%
Zhao S.G. et al. (2016) 7 weeks of supervised + 7 weeks of unsupervised walking training + resistance training of 3 sets of 8–12 reps at 11–13 RPE, thrice a week for the supervised period, five times per week during the unsupervised period vs. usual care NR

RR: NR

AR: 72.0%

NR IG:0.0%; CG:22.2%
Grote M. et al. (2018) 7 weeks of supervised resistance training thrice a week, 3 exercises, 3 sets of 8–12 reps vs. usual care Yes

RR: 20.0%

AR: 90.0%

non-EX related pain (for mucositis)/ abdominal tension (for endoscopic gastrostomy) NR
Samuel S.R. et al. (2018) 7 weeks of supervised + 6 weeks unsupervised aerobic training 15/20 min per session at 3–5 RPE + resistance training, 1 set of 8–15 reps at 3–5 RPE, 5 days per week vs. usual care NR

RR:60.2%

AR:NR

NR IG: 21,6%; CG: 10.8%
Yen C.J. et al. (2019) 8 weeks of aerobic training, 30 min per session at 60/70% HRmax + resistance training, 10 exercises, 2 sets of 10 repetition at 3–5 RPE vs. usual care NR

RR: NR

AR: NR

NR IG: 19.1%; CG: 9.5%
Lin K.Y. et al. (2021) 8 weeks of supervised aerobic training, 30 min per session at 60/80% of HRmax + moderate/hard resistance training, 1–3 sets of 8–12 reps, thrice a week vs. usual care Yes

RR: 60.6%

AR: 93.1%

NR IG: 31%; CG:28,6%
After anticancer treatment
Lønbro S. et al. (2013) 12 weeks of supervised and unsupervised resistance training, 2.5 times per week, 7 exercises, 2–3sets of 8–15 reps vs. waiting list NR

RR:22%

AR: 91%

No adverse events were registered IG: 5%; CG: 19%

NR not reported, RR recruitment rate, AR adherence rate, IG interventional group, CG control group, BMI body mass index, 6MWT 6-min walking test, QoL quality of life. The arrow up (↑) symbol denotes significant improvement; the arrow down (↓) symbol denotes significant worsening; the double head arrow ν(↔) denotes no significant change