Evidence mapPaperPMID 38296934Full record

ArticleJournal of cancer survivorship : research and practice2025

Potential mechanisms underlying the effect of walking exercise on cancer-related fatigue in cancer survivors.

Isa Hiske Mast, Coen C W G Bongers, Elske C Gootjes, Johannes H W de Wilt, Maria T E Hopman, Laurien M Buffart

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
3.4field-weighted citation impact, top 7% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Isa Hiske MastDepartment of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Coen C W G BongersDepartment of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Elske C GootjesDepartment of Medical Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Johannes H W de WiltDepartment of Oncological Surgery, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Maria T E HopmanDepartment of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Laurien M BuffartDepartment of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Laurien.Buffart@radboudumc.nl.
Radboud University Nijmegen · NLRadboud University Medical Center · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeCancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a common and debilitating long-term side effect of cancer and its treatment. While exercise has been shown to effectively reduce CRF, the underlying mechanisms are not fully clear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the effects of a 4-month walking exercise program on fatigue severity and to explore potential underlying physiological, behavioral, and psychological mechanisms of action.

methodsWe included 27 cancer survivors (59 ± 15 years, 37% female) with variable cancer diagnoses who were at least moderately fatigued and finished treatment between 6 and 36 months ago. This study with a quasi-experimental interrupted time-series design compared a 4-month walking intervention period with a 4-month control period. Measurements of fatigue and physiological, behavioral, and psychological factors were performed, supplemented with participants' perceptions on how exercise influenced their fatigue.

resultsA significant and clinically relevant decrease in fatigue severity was found over time (β =  - 8.1, 95% CI =  - 12.1; - 4.2), but could not be attributed directly to the walking exercise intervention. Increases in muscle strength (β =  - 0.07, 95% CI =  - 0.12; - 0.02), physical activity (β =  - 0.1, 95% CI =  - 0.2; - 0.04), and sleep quality (β = 1.1, 95% CI = 0.3; 1.9), as well as decreases in muscle relaxation times (β = 0.09, 95% CI = 0.02; 0.16) and psychological distress (β = 1.1, 95% CI = 0.8; 1.3) were associated with reductions in fatigue severity. Resilience and physical well-being were perceived as most important constructs explaining the walking exercise effects on fatigue.

conclusionOur findings reveal potential physiological, behavioral, and psychological mechanisms underlying the multidimensional effects of exercise on fatigue severity. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Incorporating resistance exercise and addressing resilience and physical well-being might improve the efficacy of exercise interventions for cancer survivors.

Indexed as

Cancer SurvivorsExercise TherapyFatigueNeoplasmsWalkingAdultAgedExerciseFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQuality of LifeCancer-related fatigueExercise interventionMuscle contractile propertiesResilience

Identifiers

PMID38296934
PMCPMC12283887
OpenAlexW4391378982

What Socratic holds

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.