Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41844927›Full record

ReviewJournal of cancer survivorship : research and practice2026

The impact of exercise on tolerability of systemic treatment in metastatic colorectal cancer: A literature review.

Laurien M Buffart, Calvin G Brouwer, Marlou-Floor Kenkhuis, Elske C Gootjes, Henk M W Verheul, Tineke E Buffart

Abstract readReview
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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.

Laurien M BuffartDepartment of Medical Biosciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. laurien.buffart@radboudumc.nl.
Calvin G BrouwerDepartment of Medical Biosciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Marlou-Floor KenkhuisDepartment of Medical Biosciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Elske C GootjesDepartment of Medical Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Henk M W VerheulDepartment of Medical Oncology, Erasmus Medical Center Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Tineke E BuffartDepartment of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Funding

NWO-ZonMW VIDI grant 09150171910017Radboudumc Hypatia fellowship grant
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Over half of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) develop distant metastases and are often treated with multiple lines of systemic treatments, which can lead to severe toxicities. At least 40% of patients experience toxicity-induced treatment modifications in the first 3 months, which may impact anti-tumor effects. Exercise has the potential to limit toxicity and thereby prevent treatment modifications. This review discusses the role of physical exercise in limiting treatment toxicity in patients with metastatic CRC (mCRC). First an overview of the common toxicities of systemic treatment is presented. Second, the results from 15 observational studies examining associations of physical activity, fitness, and function with (toxicity-induced) treatment modification and survival outcomes are discussed, followed by the results from 8 exercise intervention studies in patients with mCRC. Finally, potential mechanisms of action by which exercise may impact toxicity of systemic treatments are described. Results highlight the potential benefits of exercise during systemic treatment. Although the number of studies is limited, observational studies found positive associations between physical activity, fitness, and function, and survival. Additionally, intervention studies revealed that exercise during systemic treatment is feasible and beneficial for patient-reported outcomes and physical fitness. Proposed mechanistic pathways by which exercise can limit toxicities including neurotoxicity, hematological toxicity, gastrointestinal toxicity, and fatigue are discussed. The potential of exercise on dermatological and immune-related toxicity of targeted and immunotherapy has yet to be investigated. Findings of this review emphasize the clear potential of exercise as an integral part of mCRC treatment, which should be confirmed in future trials. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Incorporating physical exercise during systemic treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer has the potential to help reduce or even prevent toxicity-induced treatment modifications, which could benefit survival outcomes.

Indexed as

ExerciseMetastatic colorectal cancerPhysiologySystemic treatmentToxicity

Identifiers

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.