The Role of Physical Activity in the Prevention and Management of Various Cancers

Background: Cancers remain a leading cause of mortality in a modern society, and their incidence is growing each year. The disease and its related therapies cause considerable side effects, functional deterioration, and reduce quality of life (QoL), all of which correlate with less favourable outcomes. Physical activity (PA) represents a cost-effective and non-invasive adjunct to the traditional therapy regimes, which can alleviate these negative effects and improve clinical outcomes Aim: The narrative review summarises current evidence about the role of PA in oncology. It provides a solid background in biochemical mechanisms involved in the modulation of cancer biology and evaluates its clinical significance by assessing psychological, physiological, cognitive, QoL and mortality rates Methods: We conducted a narrative review of the available literature on the role of physical activity in modulating physiological and functional parameters, as well as mortality, in cancer patients. We considered original studies, reviews, systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Results: Evidence indicates that PA is an effective tool in both the prevention and management of cancers. Patients who engage in PA have improved metabolic, immune and oxidative stress parameters, which provide clinical outcomes such as improved QoL, cognitive, psychological and physiological performance. This consequently leads to a better prevention of cancers and provides benefits in terms of overall survival Conclusions: PA is an effective strategy for enhancing clinical outcomes in the cancer population and should be considered as an additional approach integrated into clinical guidelines.