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Cancer Survivorship and Care / Cancer Related Cognitive Impairment Studies · Journal article
BMC Sports Science Medicine and Rehabilitation · September 8, 2026
Encouraging direction, but not yet definitive.
This RCT demonstrates that home-based exercise during paclitaxel–carboplatin chemotherapy for gynecologic cancers is safe, feasible, and well-tolerated, with 76% adherence in the intervention group. The primary endpoint of fatigue reduction was not significantly different between groups (LS mean difference 1.8; 95% CI −1.3 to 4.9), but the exercise group showed preserved quadriceps strength and lower rates of grade ≥2 nausea and myalgia, suggesting secondary benefits despite lack of fatigue improvement.
Randomized controlled trial, parallel-group, 1:1 allocation. Patients with cervical, endometrial, or ovarian cancer undergoing paclitaxel–carboplatin chemotherapy.. Intervention: Home-based exercise: 30 min of moderate-intensity walking and squat exercises three times weekly, with rehabilitation visits every 3 weeks for safety, technique feedback, and adherence monitoring.. Compared with: Standard care without exercise instructions; control participants recorded daily activity.. n = 106. Japan (registered with Japan Registry of Clinical Trials)..
No significant difference in FACIT-F fatigue change between exercise and control groups (LS mean difference: 1.8; 95% CI: −1.3 to 4.9) Exercise group adherence was 76%; 71% of controls voluntarily exercised at similar levels Exercise group showed better preservation of quadriceps strength
Safety was not reported in the material analysed. Check the source before drawing any conclusion about harm.
Clinicians may consider home-based exercise as a safe, feasible, and well-tolerated intervention during chemotherapy for gynecologic cancers, particularly to preserve lower limb strength and reduce certain non-hematologic toxicities, though fatigue improvement should not be expected on current evidence. High adherence in both groups suggests patients are motivated to exercise during active treatment, supporting its feasibility as a supportive care option.
A well-designed RCT in an understudied population showing feasibility and safety of exercise during chemotherapy, with secondary benefits in strength preservation and toxicity reduction, though the primary fatigue endpoint was not met.
As stated by the source record.
Quoted from the source exactly as published.
Clinicians may consider home-based exercise as a safe, feasible, and well-tolerated intervention during chemotherapy for gynecologic cancers, particularly to preserve lower limb strength and reduce certain non-hematologic toxicities, though fatigue improvement should not be expected on current evidence. High adherence in both groups suggests patients are motivated to exercise during active treatment, supporting its feasibility as a supportive care option.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
Although exercise interventions have shown benefits in several cancer populations, evidence during chemotherapy for gynecologic cancers remains limited. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of a home-based exercise intervention for cancer-related fatigue, quality of life, and physical function in patients undergoing chemotherapy for gynecologic cancers. A total of 110 patients with cervical, endometrial, or ovarian cancer were randomized 1:1 to an exercise or control group during paclitaxel–carboplatin chemotherapy. The home-based intervention comprised 30 min of moderate-intensity walking and squat exercises three times weekly. Participants attended rehabilitation visits every 3 weeks for feedback on safety, appropriate technique, and adherence. Control participants received standard care without exercise instructions but recorded their daily activity. The primary endpoint was change in fatigue measured using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy–Fatigue (FACIT-F) subscale. Secondary endpoints included other patient-reported outcomes, physical function, body composition, and adverse events. Fifty-one and 55 patients in the exercise and control groups, respectively, were evaluable. No significant difference in FACIT-F change was observed (LS mean difference: 1.8; 95% CI: − 1.3 to 4.9). Exercise adherence was 76% in the exercise group; 71% of the controls voluntarily exercised at similar levels. Patients with prior exercise habits were more likely to meet exercise criteria (81% vs. 65%; p = 0.07). The exercise group showed better preservation of quadriceps strength; CT revealed reduced psoas muscle mass and increased visceral fat in both groups. Grade ≥ 2 nausea and myalgia were less frequent in the exercise group. Although the intervention did not significantly improve fatigue, it was safe, feasible, and associated with preserved lower limb strength and fewer non-hematologic toxicities. High adherence in both groups suggests that exercise during chemotherapy is achievable and well accepted, reflecting strong motivation to remain active, which may also have contributed to control-group contamination and reduced between-group differences. Future studies should refine exercise protocols through digital monitoring and combined nutritional strategies while identifying patient subgroups most likely to benefit during active cancer treatment. Registered with the Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (jRCT; registration number: jRCT1031200069; date: July 16, 2020).
Taken from the source record, never inferred. Follow any of these and new work involving them reaches your briefing.