TY - JOUR

T1 - Qualitative exploration of the perceptions of exercise in patients with cancer initiated during chemotherapy

T2 - a meta-synthesis

AU - Andersen, Christina

AU - Adamsen, Lis

AU - Damhus, Christina Sadolin

AU - Piil, Karin

AU - Missel, Malene

AU - Jarden, Mary

AU - Larsen, Anders

AU - Larsen, Hanne Baekgaard

AU - Møller, Tom

N1 - © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - OBJECTIVE: To synthesise qualitative literature on (1) the perceptions of patients with cancer of participating in an exercise intervention while undergoing chemotherapy and (2) to inform and guide professionals in oncology and haematology practice.DESIGN: A qualitative meta-synthesis based on Noblit and Hare's seven-step meta-ethnography.DATA SOURCES: Six electronic databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), CINAHL, EMBASE, PubMed, SCI-Expanded-SSCI and Scopus (final search June 2022) were used to identify qualitative literature containing individual or focus group interviews. The transparency of reporting for each study was assessed using the Consolidated criteria for Reporting Qualitative research checklist.RESULTS: The search identified 5002 articles, 107 of which were selected for full-text review. Seventeen articles from five countries with patients undergoing chemotherapy during exercise interventions were included. Eleven articles were included in the meta-synthesis, which comprised 193 patients with various cancer diagnoses, disease stages, sexes and ages. Four main themes were identified: chemotherapy overpowers the body; exercise in battle with side effects; a break from gloomy thoughts; and a question of survivorship.CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The meta-synthesis emphasised that patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy and simultaneously participating in exercise interventions may experience momentary relief from overwhelming side effects, even though full bodily recovery may be perceived as a distant prospect. The synthesis offers a sparse empirical basis for gaining insight into what patients experience existentially following exercise interventions. It is up to patients to independently apply the transfer value of exercise to their own existential circumstances.

AB - OBJECTIVE: To synthesise qualitative literature on (1) the perceptions of patients with cancer of participating in an exercise intervention while undergoing chemotherapy and (2) to inform and guide professionals in oncology and haematology practice.DESIGN: A qualitative meta-synthesis based on Noblit and Hare's seven-step meta-ethnography.DATA SOURCES: Six electronic databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), CINAHL, EMBASE, PubMed, SCI-Expanded-SSCI and Scopus (final search June 2022) were used to identify qualitative literature containing individual or focus group interviews. The transparency of reporting for each study was assessed using the Consolidated criteria for Reporting Qualitative research checklist.RESULTS: The search identified 5002 articles, 107 of which were selected for full-text review. Seventeen articles from five countries with patients undergoing chemotherapy during exercise interventions were included. Eleven articles were included in the meta-synthesis, which comprised 193 patients with various cancer diagnoses, disease stages, sexes and ages. Four main themes were identified: chemotherapy overpowers the body; exercise in battle with side effects; a break from gloomy thoughts; and a question of survivorship.CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The meta-synthesis emphasised that patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy and simultaneously participating in exercise interventions may experience momentary relief from overwhelming side effects, even though full bodily recovery may be perceived as a distant prospect. The synthesis offers a sparse empirical basis for gaining insight into what patients experience existentially following exercise interventions. It is up to patients to independently apply the transfer value of exercise to their own existential circumstances.

KW - Humans

KW - Anthropology, Cultural

KW - Exercise

KW - Neoplasms/drug therapy

KW - Qualitative Research

U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-074266

DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-074266

M3 - Review

C2 - 38086582

VL - 13

JO - BMJ Open

JF - BMJ Open

SN - 2044-6055

IS - 12

M1 - e074266

ER -