Can Physical Exercise Prevent Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients With Cancer? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: This systematic review analyzed the effects of physical exercise programs in patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) prevention.

Data Sources: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library were searched for relevant studies published before December 2020. Additional references were identified by manual screening of the reference lists.

Study Selection: Based on the Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcomes, and Study Designs strategy, randomized controlled trials in which physical exercise was applied before or during chemotherapy to prevent or ameliorate CIPN were included.

Data Extraction: Two reviewers blinded and independent screened the articles, scored methodologic quality, and extracted data for analysis. The review was conducted and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Sensitivity and precision analysis databases was included. Risk of bias assessment and meta-analysis were conducted using the Cochrane tools.

Data Synthesis: Of 229 potentially relevant studies, 8 randomized controlled trials were included and scored. They comprise a total of 618 patients with cancer. MEDLINE and Scopus databases recorded the highest sensitivity. None of the studies achieved a "low" overall risk of bias. Four studies were included in meta-analysis for quality of life, and a significance standardized mean difference was found between groups from baseline of 14.62; 95% CI, 6.03-3.20, with a large effect size g=0.83; 95% CI, 0.48-1.18) in favor of physical exercise program compared with usual care.

Conclusions: Physical exercise at the onset of chemotherapy has shown promising effects on the prevention of CIPN, specially improving quality of life.