Table 3.
Summary of Relevant Outcomes in all 24 Included Studiesa.
| References | Year | Study design | Study population | Animal and tumor model | Intervention | Duration | Frequency | Intergroup comparison |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballaro et al33 | 2019 | RCT | N = 16 8 TCs and 8 TEs |
BALB/c mice, C26 tumor | TE: treadmill exercise (11 m/min; moderate intensity, 45 minutes) | Pre tumor: 5 days Post tumor: 12 days |
5×/week | TE versus TC: Total body mass ↔ Tibialis muscle mass ↑ GSN muscle mass ↔ |
| Bover et al51 | 2019 | RCT | N = 12 6 TCs and 6 TEs |
BALB/c mice, C26 tumor | TE: Combined exercise Strength exercise: ladder climbs with additional weight (maximum 50% of bodyweight, 85° incline, 3 sets of 2 repetitions) Aerobic exercise: treadmill (5-9 m/min, moderate intensity, 25 minutes) |
Pre tumor: 4 weeks Post tumor: 11 days |
4×/week | TE versus TC: Total body mass ↔ Tibialis muscle mass ↑ GSN muscle mass ↔ |
| Moreira et al34 | 2018 | RCT | N = 10-18 5-9 TCs and 5-9 TEs |
Male Wistar rats, Walker-256 tumor | TE: treadmill exercise (50% to 65% of maximal running speed, 44 minutes) | Pre tumor: 8 weeks Post tumor: 2 weeks |
3×/week | TE versus TC: Total body mass ↓ |
| Amani-Shalamzari et al52 | 2018 | RCT | N = 20 10 TCs and 10 TEs |
BALB/c mice, MC4-L2 tumor | TE: treadmill exercise (16-18 m/min, 0% incline, 10-14 minutes) | Post tumor: 6 weeks | 5×/week | TE versus TC: Total body mass ↔ GSN muscle mass ↑ |
| Tanaka et al39 | 2018 | RCT | N = 12 6 TCs and 6 TEs |
Wistar rats, AH130 Yoshida tumor | TE: treadmill exercise (15 m/min, 30 minutes) | Post tumor: 10 days | 8×/10days | TE versus TC: Total body mass ↔ Soleus muscle mass ↑ |
| Shamsi et al35 | 2017 | RCT | N = 16 8 TCs and 8 TEs |
Female Balb/c mice, 4T1-tumor | TE: treadmill exercise (10 minutes Warmup + intervals at 2 minutes 70% VO2 maximum and 2 minutes 50% VO2 maximum for 10 minutes) | Pre tumor: 6 weeks Post tumor: 6 weeks |
5×/week | TE versus TC: Total body mass ↔ GSN muscle mass ↑ |
| Padilha et al36 | 2017 | RCT | N = 18 9 TCs and 9 TEs |
Male Wistar rats, Walker-256 tumor | TE: strength exercise (ladder climbing, 4 to 8 climbs with 50% to 100% of maximal carrying capacity) | Pre tumor: 6 weeks Post tumor: 12 days |
3×/week | TE versus TC: Total body mass ↑ Soleus muscle mass ↔ Soleus muscle CSA ↑ |
| Padrao et al37 | 2017 | RCT | N = 25 10 TCs and 15 TEs |
Female Sprague-Dawley rats, MNU | TE: treadmill exercise (moderate, 20 m/min, 60 minutes) | Post tumor: 35 weeks | 5×/week | TE versus TC: Total body mass ↔ GSN muscle mass ↔ GSN muscle CSA ↑ |
| Khamoui et al40 | 2016 | RCT | N = 25 9 TCs, 8 TSEs, and 8 TAEs |
Balb/c mice, C26 tumor | TSE: ladder climbs with additional 50% of body weight, increasing 10% every 2 weeks (5 sets of 3 repetitions) TAE: progressively increasing treadmill exercise (5-7 m/min, 60 minutes) |
Pre tumor: 8 weeks Post tumor: 3 weeks |
TSE: 3×/week TAE: 5×/week |
TAE40 versus TC: Total body mass ↔ GSN muscle mass ↔ GSN muscle CSA ↔ TSE40 versus TC: Total body mass ↔ GSN muscle mass ↔ GSN muscle CSA ↔ |
| Jee et al41 | 2016 | RCT | N = 30 10 TCs, 10 TMEs, and 10 TIEs |
CDF1 mice, C26 tumor | TME: treadmill exercise (70% max HR, moderate 45 minutes) TIE: treadmill exercise (90% max HR, intense 45 minutes) |
Post tumor: 4 weeks | Every second day | TME41 versus TC: Total body mass ↔ GSN muscle mass ↑ Soleus muscle mass ↔ TIE41 versus TC: Total body mass ↑ GSN muscle mass ↑ Soleus muscle mass ↑ TIE41 versus TME41: Total body mass ↑ GSN muscle mass ↑ Soleus muscle mass ↑ |
| Pin et al38 | 2015 | RCT | N = 45 C26 2 weeks: 7 TCs and 7 TEs C26 8 weeks: 7 TCs and 8 TEs LLC 4 weeks: 8 TCs and 8 TEs |
Balb/C or C57BL/6 mice, C26, or LLC tumor | TE: treadmill exercise (14 m/min, 60% to 70% VO2 maximum, 45 minutes) | Post tumor: C26 2 weeks, LLC 4 weeks, subset of C26 (8 weeks) Pre tumor: 6 weeks and post tumor: 2 weeks |
5×/week | C26 2 weeks38 TE versus TC: Total body mass ↓ GSN muscle mass ↔ Tibialis muscle mass ↔ C26 8 weeks38 TE versus TC: Total body mass ↔ GSN muscle mass ↔ Tibialis muscle mass ↔ LLC 4 weeks38 TE versus TC: GSN muscle mass ↔ Tibialis muscle mass ↔ |
| Kryczyk et al47 | 2014 | RCT | N = 20 10 TCs and 10 TEs |
Wistar rats, Walker-256 tumor | TE: combined exercise Strength exercise: jumping in water (6 sets of 30 seconds with 50% body weight load attached) + aerobic exercise: swimming (30 minutes, 6% body weight load attached) |
Pre tumor: 6 weeks Post tumor: 2 weeks |
4×/week | TE versus TC: Total body mass ↔ Mass change (body mass − tumor mass) ↑ |
| Donatto et al3 | 2013 | RCT | N = 14 7 TCs and 7 TEs |
Wistar rats, Walker-256 tumor | TE: strength exercise (3-5 ladder climbs with additional load 75% to 100% of the animal’s maximal carrying capacity) | Pre tumor: 6 weeks Post tumor: 2 weeks |
Every third day | TE versus TC: Total body mass ↑ GSN muscle mass ↑ |
| Faustino-Rocha et al54 | 2013 | RCT | N = 21 11 TCs and 10 TEs |
Sprague-Dawley rats, MNU | TE: treadmill exercise (20 m/min, 60 minutes) | Post tumor: 34 weeks | 5×/week | TE versus TC: Total body mass ↔ GSN muscle mass ↔ |
| Lira et al48 | 2012 | RCT | N = 14 8 TCs and 6 TEs |
Wistar rats, Walker-256 tumor | TE: treadmill exercise (60% to 65% VO2 max, 60 minutes) | Pre tumor: 6 weeks Post tumor: 2 weeks |
5×/week | TE versus TC: Total body mass ↓ |
| Puppa et al8 | 2011 | RCT | N = 27 15 TCs and 12 TEs |
Apc Min/+ with IL-6 overexpression (to induce cachexia) | TE: treadmill exercise (moderate, 18 m/min, 5% incline, 60 minutes). | Pre IL-6 overexpression: 7 weeks Post IL-6 overexpression: 2 weeks |
6×/week | TE versus TC: Total body mass ↔ |
| Baracos53 | 1989 | RCT | N = 20 10 TCs and 10 TEs |
Sprague-Dawley rats, Morris hepatoma 7777 | TE: swimming exercise (5 minutes on the first day, increasing 5 minutes each session, maximum 120 minutes per session) | Pre tumor: 3 weeks Post tumor: 3 weeks |
5×/week | TE versus TC: Total body mass ↔ Epitochlearis muscle mass ↔ |
| Deuster et al42 | 1985 | RCT | N = 14 8 TCs and 6 TEs |
Sprague-Dawley rats, Walker-256 carcinoma | TE: treadmill exercise (20 m/min, 13% incline, 100 minutes) | Pre tumor: 2 weeks Post tumor: 29 days |
3×/week | TE versus TC: Total body mass ↔ GSN muscle mass ↑ |
| Salomão et al49 | 2010 | CT | N = 17 9 TCs and 8 TEs |
Wistar rats, Walker-256 tumor | TE: swimming exercise (light aerobic exercise, 45 minutes) | Pre tumor: 60 days Post tumor: 21 days |
5×/week | TE versus TC: Total body mass ↑ GSN muscle mass ↑ |
| Lima et al50 | 2008 | CT | N = 36 18 TCs and 18 TEs |
Wistar rats, Walker-256 tumor | TE: strength exercise, jumping in water (10 sets of 30 seconds with 50% body weight load attached) | Pre tumor: 6 weeks Post tumor: 2 weeks |
4×/week | TE versus TC: Total body mass ↑ |
| Below: included in the systematic review but not in the meta-analysis | ||||||||
| das Neves et al43 | 2016 | RCT | N = 16 8 TCs and 8 TEs |
Wistar rats, Walker-256 tumor | TE: Pre tumor: daily EMS sessions (progressively, 1 to 2 sets with 12 to 15 repetitions, overload 0 to 200 g) Post tumor: strength exercise for the hind limb (“squat-like” movement, 65% of 1 RM, 3 sets with 10 repetitions) |
Pre tumor: 8 days in a row Post tumor: total of 8 sessions in 12 days |
Pre tumor: every day Post tumor: 2 days TE and 1 day rest |
TE versus TC: Plantaris muscle mass ↔ EDL muscle mass ↔ EDL muscle CSA ↔ |
| Lira et al44 | 2008 | RCT | N = 12 7 TCs and 5 TEs |
Wistar rats, Walker-256 tumor | TE: treadmill exercise (60% to 65% VO2 maximum, 60 minutes). | Pre tumor: 6 weeks Post tumor: 2 weeks |
5×/week | TE versus TC: Total body mass ↓ |
| Bacurau et al45 | 2007 | RCT | N = 48 24 TCs and 24 TEs |
Wistar rats, Walker-256 tumor | TE: treadmill exercise (85% VO2 maximum, 30 minutes) | Pre tumor: 8 weeks Post tumor: 2 weeks |
5×/week | TE versus TC: Total body mass ↑ |
| White et al46 | 2012 | CT | N = 36 20 TCs and 16 TEs |
ApcMin/+ with IL-6 overexpression (to induce cachexia) | TE: treadmill exercise (18 m/min, 5% incline, 60 minutes) | Pre IL-6 overexpression: 7 weeks Post IL-6 overexpression: 2 weeks |
6×/week | TE versus TC: GSN muscle mass ↔ |
Abbreviations: 1 RM, one repetition maximum; C26, colon-26; CSA, cross-sectional area; CT, controlled trial; EDL, extensor digitorum longus; EMS, electrical muscle stimulation; GSN, gastrocnemius; IL, interleukin; LLC, Lewis lung carcinoma; max HR, maximum heart rate; MNU, N-methyl-N-nitrosourea; N, statistical population; RCT, randomized-controlled trial; TAE, tumor aerobic exercise; TC, tumor control; TE, tumor exercise; TIE, tumor intense-aerobic exercise; TME, tumor moderate-aerobic exercise; TSE, tumor strength exercise, VO2 max, maximum oxygen uptake; ↑, statistical increase compared with controls; ↔, no effects; ↓, statistical reduction compared to controls.
a
Trials are sorted by (1) inclusion in meta-analysis or review, (2) study design, (3) year of publication, and (4) alphabetical order.