Exercise Interventions for Depression, Anxiety, and Quality of Life in Older Adults With Cancer

Cancer and its treatment negatively impact the mental health of older adults. The potential of exercise interventions as a complementary treatment to alleviate the psychological impacts of cancer is promising, but there are gaps in the current literature.

To determine if exercise interventions are associated with improvements in psychological outcomes among older adults with cancer. Data Sources: PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cochrane databases were searched from database inception to November 5, 2024. Search terms used were geriatrics, cancer, depression, anxiety, quality of life, and exercise interventions. Study Selection: English-language randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that analyzed the association of various exercise interventions with at least 1 of 3 psychological outcomes (depression, anxiety, or health-related quality-of-life [HRQOL]) were included. The control groups were given usual care. Studies were included if the mean age of participants was older than 60 years and had participants with a diagnosis of any cancer regardless of comorbidities. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Studies were screened, and data were extracted by 2 independent authors. Random-effects meta-analyses and meta-regressions were used for analysis. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline was followed. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcomes were depression, anxiety, and HRQOL. Standardized mean difference (SMD) was used to quantify the association of exercise interventions with outcomes.