Structured Exercise Should Be Considered as Adjunct Therapy for Cancer

MONDAY, Sept. 21, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Structured exercise should be considered as an adjunct therapy for patients with cancer, with significant improvements seen in overall and disease-free survival, according to a review published online Sept. 14 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Chih-Chen Tzang, from the National Taiwan University in Taipei, and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify the association between structured exercise interventions and survival-related outcomes in patients with cancer. The meta-analysis included 21 randomized controlled trials of structured exercise interventions in adults with confirmed cancer.

The researchers found that structured exercise was associated with significant improvements in overall and disease-free survival (hazard ratios, 0.77 and 0.83, respectively) and with reduced all-cause and cancer-specific mortality (risk ratios, 0.82 and 0.74, respectively), but not with progression-free survival or pathological complete response. For overall survival, disease-free survival, and cancer-specific and all-cause mortality, certainty of evidence was rated as moderate. A more pronounced benefit was indicated among participants with higher adherence, those who underwent aerobic exercise, and those with early-stage disease.

“Our findings support a broader role for structured exercise as a therapeutic adjuvant, with potential benefits for survival and recurrence, particularly in early-stage and curative intent settings where sustained participation is achievable,” the authors write. “On the strength of this evidence, clinicians can reasonably recommend structured exercise as part of oncological care, while recognizing that important questions remain and that ongoing trials will continue to refine its optimal application.”

Abstract/Full Text