Fatigue during chemotherapy: physical exercise, muscle strength, and treatment continuity: A narrative review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62827/fb.v27i8.1287Keywords:
Fatigue; Exercise Therapy; Resistance Training; Neoplasms; Antineoplastic Agents.Abstract
Introduction: Cancer-related fatigue may worsen during chemotherapy, impair muscle strength, and hinder activities required to continue care. Objective: To analyze the effects of physical exercise on fatigue and muscle strength during chemotherapy and discuss its relationship with dose delivery, delays, and treatment completion. Methods: A narrative review with a structured search of Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online through PubMed, Scientific Electronic Library Online, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature through the Virtual Health Library, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, and Cochrane Library was performed from July to September 2026. Studies from 2021 to 2026 were prioritized without excluding seminal papers. Selection considered titles, abstracts, and available full texts. Results: Recent syntheses indicate a small short-term reduction in fatigue with aerobic or resistance exercise. Resistance training mainly preserves lower-limb strength, although findings vary by modality, supervision, and population. Some trials report fewer dose adjustments or better chemotherapy completion, whereas others find no difference in relative dose intensity. Direct evidence for treatment continuity remains sparse and heterogeneous. Conclusion: Individualized exercise should be incorporated into physiotherapy management of fatigue and strength loss during chemotherapy. It may support functional tolerance but cannot ensure maintenance of the antineoplastic regimen.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Alexandre Cardoso Schmidt, Pedro Gabriel de Moura Araújo, Vinicius Santos Cardoso, Guilherme Augusto Melo de Oliveira, Rodrigo Gonçalves Corrêa (Autor)
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