Cardio-oncology & otherMeta-analysis

Effects of Systemic Anticancer Treatment on Cardiorespiratory Fitness

JACC CardioOncolPublished

  • Systematic review and meta-analysis
  • meta-regression

Authors' conclusion

Systemic anticancer treatment leads to substantial and sustained impairments in CRF.

Study context

Population
Cancer survivors receiving systemic anticancer treatment44 studies
Comparison
Before vs after systemic anticancer treatment; cancer survivors vs noncancer controls
  • Noncancer controln = 1,923reference
Outcome
Change in cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) (Vo2peak) from before to after systemic treatment

Pooled result

Change in Vo2peak

Weighted mean difference

−2.13 mL·kg-1·min-1

95% CI −2.76 to −1.50

Post-treatment vs Pre-treatment
weighted mean difference −2.13 mL·kg-1·min-1 (95% CI −2.76 to −1.50)

As reported in the abstract

Further pooled results

Outcomeweighted mean difference (mL·kg-1·min-1) (95% CI)
Post-treatment Vo2peak, cancer survivors vs noncancer controls · median 2 years (range: 6 weeks to 12 years) post-therapy · 17 cross-sectional studies−6.39 (−7.60 to −5.18)

Change in Vo2peak by cancer type (esophagogastric, breast, colorectal)

No significant differences between patient subgroups

Arteriovenous oxygen difference and Vo2peak (meta-regression)

Reduced arteriovenous oxygen difference associated with lower Vo2peak, β
2.55 (95% CI: 2.05-3.06; P < 0.001)

Original publication

Effects of Systemic Anticancer Treatment on Cardiorespiratory Fitness. JACC CardioOncol. Published 14 January 2025. doi:10.1016/j.jaccao.2024.11.004

Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it