A systematic review of physical activity in prostate cancer survivors: outcomes, prevalence, and determinants

Introduction We reviewed physical activity (PA) studies in prostate cancer (PC) survivors investigating (a) the effects of PA on health outcomes, (b) the prevalence of PA, and (c) the determinants of PA. Materials and methods A systematic search of the literature identified nine studies on the outcomes of PA, six studies on the prevalence of PA, and four studies on the determinants of PA in PC survivors. Results Results showed promising effects of PA on muscular fitness, physical functioning, fatigue, and health-related quality of life. The prevalence of PA varied widely from 70%, depending on the type of measure used. PA in PC survivors was predicted by motivational variables such as intentions, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms. Conclusion Although preliminary research is promising, there remains a significant amount of research to be done on the role of PA in PC survivors. Moreover, future research would benefit from larger samples using randomized controlled trial methodology.