Pulmonary rehabilitation for patients receiving lung cancer radiotherapy: a scoping review

Objective Radiotherapy (RT) can cause a range of negative impacts in addition to the intended treatment impacts. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) may improve the physical and psychological conditions of patients with lung cancer receiving RT, but specific evidence is lacking. This review mapped the evi...

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Main Authors: Chen Yao, Wang Chunyu, Jiayi Du, Yan Sisi, Kuang Yajuan, Song Suting, Hu Qu, Lei Xuejiao, Zhaoli Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2025-07-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/7/e091749.full
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author Chen Yao
Wang Chunyu
Jiayi Du
Yan Sisi
Kuang Yajuan
Song Suting
Hu Qu
Lei Xuejiao
Zhaoli Zhang
author_facet Chen Yao
Wang Chunyu
Jiayi Du
Yan Sisi
Kuang Yajuan
Song Suting
Hu Qu
Lei Xuejiao
Zhaoli Zhang
author_sort Chen Yao
collection DOAJ
description Objective Radiotherapy (RT) can cause a range of negative impacts in addition to the intended treatment impacts. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) may improve the physical and psychological conditions of patients with lung cancer receiving RT, but specific evidence is lacking. This review mapped the evidence on PR in patients with lung cancer receiving RT for intervention characteristics and outcome assessments.Data sources PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Proquest, Web of Science, CNKI and WanFang were searched for studies from January 2003 to April 2025.Eligibility criteria We included randomised controlled trials and non-randomised comparative intervention studies that included centre-based PR in patients ≥18 years with lung cancer who were receiving RT. PR was defined as any type of exercise, respiratory training, or both and/or at least one additional component (eg, psychological support). Studies were excluded if they were not available in English, were not full-text articles or were non-peer-reviewed.Data extraction and synthesis Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts and full texts for inclusion and extracted data. PR components and the typology of outcome assessments used were mapped at the final data synthesis level.Results Out of 3120 records, nine studies were investigated in the final data synthesis. In these studies, in addition to exercise or respiratory training, psychological support and disease education were the most common components of PR. Pulmonary function, quality of life, symptom assessment and exercise performance were commonly assessed outcomes in these included studies. Although the effectiveness of PR is difficult to synthesise, the evidence for improvements in exercise performance and symptoms of dyspnoea and anxiety/depression is promising.Conclusions Evidence on PR in patients with lung cancer receiving RT is sparse, and there is a heterogeneous understanding of PR. The development of standardised PR protocols and investigation of the capabilities of PR in this growing and under-represented patient population are essential.
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spelling doaj-art-55c3d88f0a0f4aabbf1fb2e619a432b62025-08-20T03:09:24ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552025-07-0115710.1136/bmjopen-2024-091749Pulmonary rehabilitation for patients receiving lung cancer radiotherapy: a scoping reviewChen Yao0Wang Chunyu1Jiayi Du2Yan Sisi3Kuang Yajuan4Song Suting5Hu Qu6Lei Xuejiao7Zhaoli Zhang8Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, ChinaChongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, ChinaChongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, ChinaChongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, ChinaChongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, ChinaChongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, ChinaChongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, ChinaChongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, ChinaChongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, ChinaObjective Radiotherapy (RT) can cause a range of negative impacts in addition to the intended treatment impacts. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) may improve the physical and psychological conditions of patients with lung cancer receiving RT, but specific evidence is lacking. This review mapped the evidence on PR in patients with lung cancer receiving RT for intervention characteristics and outcome assessments.Data sources PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Proquest, Web of Science, CNKI and WanFang were searched for studies from January 2003 to April 2025.Eligibility criteria We included randomised controlled trials and non-randomised comparative intervention studies that included centre-based PR in patients ≥18 years with lung cancer who were receiving RT. PR was defined as any type of exercise, respiratory training, or both and/or at least one additional component (eg, psychological support). Studies were excluded if they were not available in English, were not full-text articles or were non-peer-reviewed.Data extraction and synthesis Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts and full texts for inclusion and extracted data. PR components and the typology of outcome assessments used were mapped at the final data synthesis level.Results Out of 3120 records, nine studies were investigated in the final data synthesis. In these studies, in addition to exercise or respiratory training, psychological support and disease education were the most common components of PR. Pulmonary function, quality of life, symptom assessment and exercise performance were commonly assessed outcomes in these included studies. Although the effectiveness of PR is difficult to synthesise, the evidence for improvements in exercise performance and symptoms of dyspnoea and anxiety/depression is promising.Conclusions Evidence on PR in patients with lung cancer receiving RT is sparse, and there is a heterogeneous understanding of PR. The development of standardised PR protocols and investigation of the capabilities of PR in this growing and under-represented patient population are essential.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/7/e091749.full
spellingShingle Chen Yao
Wang Chunyu
Jiayi Du
Yan Sisi
Kuang Yajuan
Song Suting
Hu Qu
Lei Xuejiao
Zhaoli Zhang
Pulmonary rehabilitation for patients receiving lung cancer radiotherapy: a scoping review
BMJ Open
title Pulmonary rehabilitation for patients receiving lung cancer radiotherapy: a scoping review
title_full Pulmonary rehabilitation for patients receiving lung cancer radiotherapy: a scoping review
title_fullStr Pulmonary rehabilitation for patients receiving lung cancer radiotherapy: a scoping review
title_full_unstemmed Pulmonary rehabilitation for patients receiving lung cancer radiotherapy: a scoping review
title_short Pulmonary rehabilitation for patients receiving lung cancer radiotherapy: a scoping review
title_sort pulmonary rehabilitation for patients receiving lung cancer radiotherapy a scoping review
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/7/e091749.full
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