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Exercise medicine for cancer cachexia: targeted exercise to counteract mechanisms and treatment side effects
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Exercise medicine for cancer cachexia: targeted exercise to counteract mechanisms and treatment side effects

G. Mavropalias, M. Sim, D.R. Taaffe, D.A. Galvão, N. Spry, W.J. Kraemer, K. Häkkinen and R.U. Newton
Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology, Vol.148(6), pp.1389-1406
2022
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Abstract

Purpose Cancer-induced muscle wasting (i.e., cancer cachexia, CC) is a common and devastating syndrome that results in the death of more than 1 in 5 patients. Although primarily a result of elevated inflammation, there are multiple mechanisms that complement and amplify one another. Research on the use of exercise to manage CC is still limited, while exercise for CC management has been recently discouraged. Moreover, there is a lack of understanding that exercise is not a single medicine, but mode, type, dosage, and timing (exercise prescription) have distinct health outcomes. The purpose of this review was to examine the effects of these modes and subtypes to identify the most optimal form and dosage of exercise therapy specific to each underlying mechanism of CC. Methods The relevant literatures from MEDLINE and Scopus databases were examined. Results Exercise can counteract the most prominent mechanisms and signs of CC including muscle wasting, increased protein turnover, systemic inflammation, reduced appetite and anorexia, increased energy expenditure and fat wasting, insulin resistance, metabolic dysregulation, gut dysbiosis, hypogonadism, impaired oxidative capacity, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cancer treatments side-effects. There are different modes of exercise, and each mode has different sub-types that induce vastly diverse changes when performed over multiple sessions. Choosing suboptimal exercise modes, types, or dosages can be counterproductive and could further contribute to the mechanisms of CC without impacting muscle growth. Conclusion Available evidence shows that patients with CC can safely undertake higher-intensity resistance exercise programs, and benefit from increases in body mass and muscle mass.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Citation topics
1 Clinical & Life Sciences
1.255 Musculoskeletal Disorders
1.255.1761 Muscle Wasting
Web Of Science research areas
Oncology
ESI research areas
Clinical Medicine
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