Effects of Exercise Training on Patient-Specific Outcomes in Pancreatic Cancer Patients: A Scoping Review

Simple Summary Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most malignant solid tumours. Due to the disease's rapid progression, pancreatic cancer patients often experience great distress and suffer from symptoms such as pain, cachexia, sarcopenia, and cancer-related fatigue. The importance of exercise interventions as a supportive strategy in cancer patients to address these and other symptoms is steadily increasing, and strong evidence of various beneficial effects is shown. However, the impact of exercise on pancreatic cancer patients is still poorly characterized. Therefore, this scoping review aimed to evaluate the impact of exercise on pancreatic cancer patients. The results of this review suggest that exercise can improve different patient-specific outcomes in this population. To confirm these findings, further randomized-controlled trials are needed.Abstract Background: International guidelines have already highlighted the beneficial effects of exercise in common cancer entities. However, specific recommendations for pancreatic cancer are still missing. This scoping review aimed to evaluate the impact of exercise training on patient-specific outcomes in pancreatic cancer patients. Methods: A literature search was undertaken using PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published before August 2023 with structured exercise interventions during or after pancreatic cancer treatment. Results: Seven articles that prescribed home-based or supervised exercise with aerobic or resistance training or both were reviewed. The results indicate that exercise is feasible and safe in pancreatic cancer patients. Furthermore, exercise was associated with improved quality of life, cancer-related fatigue, and muscle strength. Concerning other outcomes, heterogeneous results were reported. We identified a lack of evidence, particularly for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Conclusion: Exercise interventions in pancreatic cancer patients are feasible and can lead to improved quality of life, cancer-related fatigue, and muscle strength. However, further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to clarify the potential of exercise in pancreatic cancer, in particular for advanced stages.