ibs.GRANADA researchers demonstrate that physical exercise can prevent peripheral neuropathy derived from chemotherapy

The research group Cuídate: Oncology Care and Sports Medicine Advances from the Biosanitary Research Institute of Granada (ibs.GRANADA), has shown promising effects of physical exercise in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, especially when performed multimodal (aerobic, strength and balance), especially improving the quality of life of the patient.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common neurological adverse effects that can occur during or after treatment. The main agents that can cause peripheral neuropathy are platinum derivatives, taxanes, etc., agents that are used in many types of cancers. When neuropathy appears, the patient experiences sensory symptoms in both their hands and feet, such as (difficulty detecting cold from hot water, not feeling the ground under their feet) and also motor (not being able to fasten a button or loss of of the force on the foot). The big problem with this sequel is that once produced it can be irreversible in up to 1 out of 3 patients, establishing itself for life. Therefore, research efforts are focusing on its prevention, and one of the tools to prevent it could be physical exercise. Physical exercise can modulate some of the risk factors for this neuropathy, such as obesity, inactivity, or low-grade inflammation. In addition, it can also enhance the patient's sensory and motor functions before the start of chemotherapy to prevent further decline.

The objective of this work carried out at the ibs.GRANADA and at the University of Granada was to carry out a review of studies on the preventive effects of chemotherapy-induced neuropathy of physical exercise programs in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. We searched for relevant studies published before December 2020 in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library. We included exclusively randomized controlled trials, that is, intervention studies in which physical exercise was applied before or during chemotherapy to prevent or ameliorate chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. Of the 229 potentially relevant studies, 8 studies were included, comprising a total of 618 cancer patients. The results showed a significant difference of 14,62% in a higher quality of life of the patients who performed the physical exercise intervention before or during chemotherapy, compared to other patients who did not perform physical exercise.

The results of this Granada study show the importance of physical exercise as a healthy lifestyle habit by contributing to improving the quality of life of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

About the research group

The research group "A02-Cuídate: Oncology Care and Advances in Sports Medicine" of the ibs.GRANADA, whose lead researcher is Manuel Arroyo Morales, whose main objective is the description of evidence on the efficacy of physiotherapy in the management of sequelae of chronic diseases and their treatment. In addition, they have a small laboratory at the University of Granada, which is an international benchmark in relation to the management and prevention of sequelae derived from cancer.

More information about the group at https://www.ibsgranada.es/grupos-de-investigacion/a02-cuidate-cuidados-oncologia/

Bibliographic reference:

Lopez-Garzon, Maria et al. “Can Physical Exercise Prevent Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients With Cancer? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.” Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation vol. 103,11 (2022): 2197-2208. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2022.02.008