Trial reportGynecologic oncology2021
Randomized trial of exercise on depressive symptomatology and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in ovarian cancer survivors: The Women's Activity and Lifestyle Study in Connecticut (WALC).
Trial report in Gynecologic oncology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
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.
Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 25 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of Cancer Rehabilitation Interventions for Women Treated for Gynaecological Cancers: A Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials.Journal of clinical nursing · 2025Pooled it
- Aerobic Physical Activity and Depression Among Patients With Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.JAMA network open · 2024Pooled it
- Exercise adherence in a randomized controlled trial of exercise on quality of life in ovarian cancer survivors.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2023Trial
- A comprehensive model for gynecologic cancer patients' survivorship care.Gynecologic oncology reports · 2026Review
- Neurotrophin System as a Complex Set of Potential Biomarkers in Psychiatric Disorders and Therapy-Overview of Recent Advances.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Effects of Regular Exercise on Peripheral Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Neurological and Non-Neurological Populations: A Meta-Analysis with Meta-Regression.Brain sciences · 2025Review
- Psychological adjustment differences in ovarian cancer patients receiving different treatment modalities and their clinical significance.World journal of psychiatry · 2025Article
- Physical Activity, Quality of Life, and Pelvic Floor Disorders Before and After Hysterectomy for Gynecological Cancer: A Prospective Cohort Study.International urogynecology journal · 2025Article
- Molecular, cellular, biochemical, and rehabilitative insights into exercise interventions for gynecological cancer prevention and survivorship: a narrative review.Journal of ovarian research · 2025Review
- Nonregular Physical Activity and Handgrip Strength as Indicators of Fatigue and Psychological Distress in Cancer Survivors.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2025Article
- Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) as a Marker of Physical Exercise or Activity Effectiveness in Fatigue, Pain, Depression, and Sleep Disturbances: A Scoping Review.Biomedicines · 2025Review
- Rehabilitation Exercises Supported by Monitor-Augmented Reality for Patients with High-Grade Glioma Undergoing Radiotherapy: Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial.Journal of clinical medicine · 2023Article
- Efficacy of exercise interventions for women during and after gynaecological cancer treatment - a systematic scoping review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2023Article
- Paxillin is a potential prognostic biomarker associated with immune cell infiltration in ovarian cancer.Heliyon · 2023Article
- Review
- Therapeutic Yoga Enhances Neuroplasticity and Metabolic Regulation Through Elevated Plasma Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Ghrelin in a Heterogeneous Cancer Survivor Population.Integrative cancer therapiesArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
14 authors at 5 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesDepression is one of the most prevalent mental disorders, and rates are higher among cancer survivors than the general population, and higher in ovarian cancer patients compared to cohorts of other cancer survivors. Physical activity has been associated with lower depressive symptoms in cancer survivors, yet no trial has examined this association in women with ovarian cancer. We examined the effect of exercise on depression symptomatology and serum brain derived neurotrophin factor (BDNF) which has been associated with depression, in women with ovarian cancer.
methodsWe conducted a 6-month home-based randomized trial of exercise vs. attention-control (AC) in 144 ovarian cancer survivors. Depressive symptomatology was measured via the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Serum total and free BDNF was measured at baseline and 6-months. Student's t-statistic and mixed-model repeated measures analysis was used to evaluate six-month change between arms in CES-D scores and BDNF.
resultsWomen were 57.3 ± 8.6 (mean ± SD) years old, 1.7 ± 1.0 years post-diagnosis with a baseline CES-D score of 11.79 ± 10.21. The majority (55%) were diagnosed with stage III/IV ovarian cancer. CES-D scores decreased in the exercise arm by 2.7 points (95% CI: -4.4, -0.9) or a 21% decrease compared to a 0.3 point decrease (-2.2, 1.5) (3% decrease) in the AC arm (P = 0.05). There was no difference in change in total or free BDNF between the exercise and AC arms.
conclusionsOvarian cancer survivors are able to exercise at recommended levels, and exercise was associated with a significant reduction in depressive symptomatology.
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