Exercise interventions significantly improved physical and quality-of-life outcomes in prostate cancer patients, with resistance training being the most effective for enhancing muscle strength (MD 15.57) compared to usual care.
Meta-Analysis (n=3,522)
Do diverse exercise interventions improve physical and quality-of-life outcomes in men with prostate cancer compared to usual care?
Various exercise modalities are safe and effective adjunctive therapies that significantly improve physical outcomes, mitigate treatment-related side effects, and enhance quality of life in prostate cancer survivors.
Effect estimate: MD 15.57 (95% CI 9.63 to 22.59)
Abstract Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most prevalent malignancies in men. Although standard treatments, including surgery, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), and radiotherapy, enhance survival, they frequently induce adverse effects such as muscle wasting, increased body fat mass, fatigue, and diminished quality of life. Exercise has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological intervention; however, the comparative efficacy of various exercise modalities remains inconclusive. A systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis were conducted to assess the effects of diverse exercise interventions on physical and quality-of-life outcomes in men with PCa. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and Embase was conducted from inception through September 2025. Fifty-four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 3, 522 participants were included in the analysis. Primary outcomes included muscle strength, body fat mass, fatigue (FACIT-F), aerobic capacity (6-min walk test, 6WMT), and cancer-specific quality of life scores (EORTC QLQ-C30). Exercise interventions significantly improved muscle strength, body composition, fatigue, aerobic capacity, and quality of life compared to usual care. Resistance training (RT) may be the most beneficial intervention for enhancing muscle strength and aerobic capacity, aerobic training (AT) for reducing body fat, combined aerobic–resistance training (ATRT) for alleviating fatigue, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for improving quality of life. All exercise modalities demonstrated good safety and feasibility, with no major adverse events reported. Exercise represents a safe and effective adjunctive therapy for prostate cancer rehabilitation. Incorporating individualized exercise prescriptions—specifically RT, AT, ATRT, and HIIT—into clinical practice can optimize physical outcomes, mitigate treatment-related side effects, and enhance the quality of life among prostate cancer survivors.
Liu et al. (Sat,) conducted a meta-analysis in Prostate cancer (n=3,522). Exercise interventions (Resistance training, Aerobic training, Combined training, High-intensity interval training) vs. Usual care was evaluated on Muscle strength (Resistance training vs Usual care) (MD 15.57, 95% CI 9.63 to 22.59). Exercise interventions significantly improved physical and quality-of-life outcomes in prostate cancer patients, with resistance training being the most effective for enhancing muscle strength (MD 15.57) compared to usual care.