Physical Activity Promotion Programmes in Childhood Cancer Patients and Their Impact on Fatigue and Pain: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Cancer is one of the main causes of death in children, however, the techniques and interventions applied allow the cure of 80% of diagnosed cases. The aim of this review was to determine the benefits of a health and physical activity promotion programme to reduce pain and fatigue symptoms in children and adolescents with cancer. The databases PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane, Web of Science and PEDro were searched between December 2020 and January 2021 to elaborate this review, using the keywords child, cancer, exercise, fatigue and pain. The review was preregistered in PROSPERO (ID CRD42021262183). Six studies, out of 937 identified at baseline, were finally included in the review: four randomised controlled trials and two quasi-experimental studies. The total sample size of all the included studies was of 474 participants with very different types of cancer and evolution, and outcome variables were pain, fatigue, physical activity level, self-efficacy and quality of life. A health and physical activity promotion programme seems to improve fatigue in paediatric cancer patients and survivors, but no significant results were found related to pain.