Research

Energy balance

For unsupervised exercise interventions in cancer patients, higher weekly energy expenditure is associated with larger improvements in physical function, although this dose-response relationship was not statistically significant in sensitivity analyses restricted to breast cancer patients.

If you cannot access supervised exercise, aim for a higher total energy expenditure (combining intensity and frequency) to improve physical function. While the specific type of exercise (aerobic vs. resistance) may not matter as much, ensuring you are expending enough energy weekly is key for unsupervised protocols.

GoodConditionalMEDIUM confidence
Unsupervised exercise with higher weekly energy expenditure was more effective than unsupervised exercise with lower energy expenditure (z=2.34, p=0.02).
Maike G. Sweegers et al. · British Journal of Sports Medicine · 2017

Why this rating

Meta-regression analysis; significance lost in subgroup (breast cancer) sensitivity analysis.

Source

Which exercise prescriptions improve quality of life and physical function in patients with cancer during and following treatment? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Maike G. Sweegers et al. · British Journal of Sports Medicine · 2017

DOI 10.1136/bjsports-2017-097891

Meta-analysis · 66 studiesCited 298×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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