Simple Summary
This article synthesizes the published scientific literature and covers a lack of evidence related to lung cancer patients, their quality of life and the chance to be improved by the physical activity performance. After including 13 articles and assessing obtained results through five meta-analyses, the findings of the current systematic review can give an insight in how physical activity can improve the quality of life in lung cancer patients independent from the stage or treatment of the disease. Thus, physical activity interventions appear to be effective in improving quality of life, physical functioning and physical wellbeing among lung cancer patients.
Abstract
Patients with lung cancer may experience deterioration in quality of life due to adverse effects caused by their disease and its treatment. Although exercise programs have been shown to improve quality of life in certain stages of the disease, the overall impact on this population is unknown. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of physical activity on the self-perception of quality of life, physical wellbeing and dyspnea in lung cancer patients. Thirteen articles were included. Five meta-analyses were performed using the standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) to evaluate the target outcomes. Results showed significant differences in quality of life (p = 0.01; SMD = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.10, 0.75), physical functioning (p = 0.01; SMD = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.06, 0.49) and physical wellbeing (p = 0.01; SMD = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.08, 0.67) in favour of participants who have undergone the programme compared to those who have not, without significant differences between the two groups in dyspnea. This study shows how physical activity interventions could have positive effects on physical functioning and physical wellbeing but could also be effective for improving quality of life in patients with lung cancer.