Effects of physical exercise on cancer-related cognitive impairment

Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a mild but meaningful decline in cognitive function among cancer patients, affecting domains such as memory, attention, and executive functions. Emerging evidence suggests that physical exercise is a promising non-pharmacological strategy to mitigate these symptoms. Although several systematic reviews and meta-analyses have examined this topic, no umbrella review has yet synthesized the full body of evidence. This umbrella review aims to integrate findings on the effects of exercise on different cognitive domains in cancer populations, considering both self-reported and objective outcomes. The review will follow PRIOR guidelines and apply a PRISMA-based search strategy across four databases (MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus). Eligibility criteria will follow the PICOS framework, including systematic reviews with or without meta-analyses evaluating exercise interventions and their impact on cognitive outcomes in individuals with cancer. Data on intervention characteristics, cognitive domains, and effect sizes will be extracted, and methodological quality will be assessed using GRADE and AMSTAR-2. This review will offer a comprehensive synthesis of current evidence on exercise and CRCI, helping identify the most responsive cognitive domains, effective exercise modalities, and key methodological gaps to inform future research and evidence-based recommendations for cancer survivors’ cognitive health.