Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40715644›Full record

SynthesisJournal of cancer survivorship : research and practice2026

Exercise and inflammation in female survivors of breast cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis with secondary mediation analysis on body composition.

Francesco Bettariga, Dennis R Taaffe, Anita Borsati, Alice Avancini, Sara Pilotto, Stefano G Lazzarini, Pedro Lopez, Luca Maestroni, Umberto Crainich, Enrico Bandini and 4 more

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-AnalysisReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis 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. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing 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

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

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Review
  4. Review
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

14 authors.

Francesco BettarigaExercise Medicine Research Institute, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia.
Dennis R TaaffeExercise Medicine Research Institute, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia.
Anita BorsatiBiomedical, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Alice AvanciniDepartment of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Sara PilottoSection of Innovation Biomedicine-Oncology Area, Department of Engineering for Innovation Medicine (DIMI), University of Verona and University and Hospital Trust (AOUI) of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Stefano G LazzariniDepartment of Statistics and Quantitative Methods, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.
Pedro LopezPleural Medicine Unit, Institute for Respiratory Health, Perth, WA, 6009, Australia.
Luca MaestroniSchool of Science and Technology, London Sport Institute, Middlesex University, London, UK.
Umberto CrainichSchool of Science and Technology, London Sport Institute, Middlesex University, London, UK.
Enrico BandiniSchool of Science and Technology, London Sport Institute, Middlesex University, London, UK.
John P CampbellExercise Medicine Research Institute, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia.
Timothy D ClayExercise Medicine Research Institute, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia.
Daniel A GalvãoExercise Medicine Research Institute, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia.
Robert U NewtonExercise Medicine Research Institute, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia. r.newton@ecu.edu.au.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeInflammation plays a key role in breast cancer recurrence and mortality by promoting tumor progression. Exercise significantly reduces pro-inflammatory markers such as IL-6, TNF-α, and CRP, potentially reducing mortality risk. However, it is yet to be determined whether exercise-induced changes in body composition can modulate inflammatory biomarker responses in the breast cancer setting.

methodsWe conducted a secondary mediation analysis based on the findings from our previously published systematic review with meta-analysis. Randomized controlled trials examining the effects of exercise on IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, and CRP and body composition and anthropometry measures such as lean mass (LM), fat mass (FM), body weight and body mass index (BMI) were included. Random-effect meta-regression models were undertaken.

resultsSixteen studies were included in the secondary analysis (n = 752). Increases in LM were significantly associated with reductions in IL-6 (p = 0.03) and there was a trend toward decreases in IL-8 (p = 0.05). In addition, there were non-significant trends suggesting that reductions in FM may be associated with decreases in IL-6 (p = 0.08) and TNF-α (p = 0.06), and that decreases in BMI may be linked to changes in IL-8 (p = 0.06).

conclusionsChanges in body composition following exercise were not consistently associated with inflammatory biomarker responses in breast cancer survivors with only LM significantly associated with IL-6 while a trend in LM and FM existed for some other inflammatory markers. Although these findings do not provide conclusive evidence, they highlight a possible role of exercise-induced body composition changes in mediating inflammation. Further research is needed to clarify whether targeted exercise interventions that improve body composition can contribute to reducing inflammation and, ultimately, impact breast cancer progression, recurrence, and mortality.

Indexed as

Body CompositionBreast NeoplasmsCancer SurvivorsExerciseInflammationBiomarkersFemaleHumansMediation AnalysisBiomarkersBody compositionBreast cancerExerciseInflammation

Identifiers

PMID40715644
PMCPMC13676545

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.