Ten trials of structured home-based programs
The review brings together ten randomized controlled trials involving 851 participants who had received cardiotoxic cancer treatments. The researchers searched seven databases to identify trials published between January 2000 and October 2025.
The interventions were structured home-based exercise programs. The abstract provided does not detail their specific content, the comparison conditions or the duration of each trial. It therefore does not allow the findings to be translated into a training program.
A measured improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness
The meta-analysis reports a mean difference in peak oxygen uptake of 2.35 mL/kg/min in favor of home-based exercise, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 1.26 to 3.43. This finding indicates improved cardiorespiratory fitness, not a direct measure of cardiac toxicity.
Subgroup analyses found larger effects for interventions lasting 24 to 52 weeks, those using mobile health tools and among people with stage III or IV cancer. These observations are not enough to establish that one format is superior to another: the abstract does not provide the details needed to assess their robustness.
No statistically significant improvement was found for the six-minute walk test or health-related quality of life. The observed benefit therefore does not extend to all outcomes assessed.
Protection against cardiotoxicity remains to be established
Only one study assessed direct measures of cardiotoxicity and cardiac biomarkers. The data are therefore too limited to conclude that these programs prevent treatment-related cardiovascular damage.
The distinction matters: being better able to sustain exertion and avoiding heart damage are two different outcomes. This review supports the value of home-based exercise for cardiorespiratory fitness in the population studied, but not a promise of cardioprotection.
Limitations to keep in mind
Only the PubMed abstract was consulted, not the full text. Heterogeneity, detailed trial quality, comparators, adverse effects, funding and conflicts of interest could not be verified. Only one study directly assessed cardiotoxicity and cardiac biomarkers.
What we can take away
Structured home-based exercise improves cardiorespiratory fitness in these trials. It has not been established that it prevents the cardiovascular toxicity of cancer treatments.
Sources and provenance
- Effectiveness of home-based exercise interventions on cardiorespiratory fitness and cancer treatment-related cardiovascular toxicity in cancer survivors exposed to cardiotoxic therapies: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Source date: 2026-11-03.
Journal Article, Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, Review · Résumé PubMed uniquement, texte intégral non consulté