Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38321248›Full record

SynthesisSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2024

Physical activity and pain in people with cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Mitchell Peters, Grace Butson, David Mizrahi, Linda Denehy, Brigid M Lynch, Christopher T V Swain

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Step count and symptom severity during cancer treatment using the Symptom Care at Home digital platform.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Article
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.

Mitchell PetersCancer Science Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6427-5191
Grace ButsonPeter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7656-9813
David MizrahiThe Daffodil Centre, The University of Sydney, a Joint Venture With Cancer Council NSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1174-2248
Linda DenehyPeter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2926-8436
Brigid M LynchCancer Epidemiology Division, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8060-547X
Christopher T V SwainDepartment of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, Melbourne School of Health Sciences, University of Melbourne, Level 7, Alan Gilbert Building, 161 Barry St, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia. christopher.swain@unimelb.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0158-2511

Funding

Victorian Cancer Agency MCRF18005
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposePhysical activity can provide analgesic benefit but its effect on cancer-related pain is unclear. This review synthesised and appraised the evidence for the effect of physical activity on pain in people living with or beyond cancer.

methodsA systematic search of Ovid Medline and Embase was performed to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs), randomised cross-over studies (RXTs), and prospective observational studies that examined physical activity and pain outcomes in adults living with or beyond cancer. Meta-analyses were performed to generate effect estimates. Risk of bias was assessed, and the GRADE system was used to assess evidence quality.

resultsOne hundred twenty-one studies (n = 13,806), including 102 RCTs, 6 RXTs, and 13 observational studies, met the criteria for inclusion. Meta-analyses of RCTs identified a decrease in pain intensity (n = 3734; standardised mean difference (SMD) - 0.30; 95% confidence interval (CI) - 0.45, - 0.15) and bodily pain (n = 1170; SMD 0.28; 95% CI 0.01, 0.56) but not pain interference (n = 207; SMD - 0.13, 95% CI - 0.42, 0.15) following physical activity interventions. Individual studies also identified a reduction in pain sensitivity but not analgesic use, although meta-analysis was not possible for these outcomes. High heterogeneity between studies, low certainty in some effect estimates, and possible publication bias meant that evidence quality was graded as very low to low.

conclusionPhysical activity may decrease pain in people living with and beyond cancer; however, high heterogeneity limits the ability to generalise this finding to all people with cancer or to specific types of cancer-related pain.

Indexed as

Cancer PainExerciseNeoplasmsHumansObservational Studies as TopicPain MeasurementPain ThresholdRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicCancer painExerciseNeoplasmReview

Identifiers

PMID38321248
PMCPMC10847204

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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 OpenQuestion graph.