Key result
Children within one month of cancer diagnosis showed severe impairments in 15 out of 17 physical capacity outcomes compared with healthy controls.
Why the study?
The authors sought to review the evidence on cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and physical performance in children with newly diagnosed cancer.
Is physical capacity impaired in children and adolescents with newly diagnosed cancer compared to healthy controls?
Systematic Review (n=4,268)
Is physical capacity impaired in children and adolescents with newly diagnosed cancer compared to healthy controls?
Children and adolescents with newly diagnosed cancer exhibit severe impairments in cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and physical performance within the first month of diagnosis.
Severe physical capacity deficits at diagnosis support early assessment in pediatric oncology; leaves open optimal intervention timing amid study heterogeneity.
OBJECTIVE: To review the body of evidence on cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and physical performance in children with newly diagnosed cancer, five databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, CENTRAL, and Web of Science) were searched on December 19, 2022. METHODS: Thirteen studies, embodying 594 participants within 1 month of cancer diagnosis and 3674 healthy controls were included. Eighteen different outcomes on cardiorespiratory fitness (n = 2), muscle strength (n = 5), physical performance (n = 10), and adverse events (n = 1) were analyzed. RESULTS: Fifteen out of 17 outcomes on physical capacity showed severe impairments compared with healthy controls. Where possible, random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to synthesize the results. No adverse events were reported related to testing. CONCLUSION: Children with cancer have impaired cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and physical performance within the first month after diagnosis. However, the evidence is based on a small number of studies with large clinical heterogeneity, limiting the certainty of evidence.
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Schmidt‐Andersen et al. (2023) conducted a systematic review in Newly diagnosed cancer (n=4,268). Newly diagnosed cancer vs. Healthy controls was evaluated on Cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and physical performance. Children within one month of cancer diagnosis showed severe impairments in 15 out of 17 physical capacity outcomes compared with healthy controls.
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