TY - JOUR
T1 - Effectiveness of Exercise-Based Interventions on Molecular Biomarkers in Head and Neck Cancer (HNC) Survivors
T2 - A Systematic Review
AU - Pai, Hritika D.
AU - Vijaya Kumar, K.
AU - Mithra, Prasanna
AU - D’Souza, Shruti
AU - Manjrekar, Poornima Ajay
AU - Samuel, Stephen Rajan
AU - Keogh, Justin W.L.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2025. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access pages (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage).
PY - 2025/8/1
Y1 - 2025/8/1
N2 - Purpose: HNC poses significant health challenges globally with over 650 000 new cases annually. Studies have demonstrated the benefits of exercise for many cancer types, with several exploring the effects of exercise on various molecular biomarkers. However, no study has systematically explored these effects among HNC survivors. Methods: Studies published up to February 2024 were screened on PubMed, SCOPUS and Web of Science using relevant keywords yielding 838 results. Studies that explored the effect of exercise-based interventions on molecular biomarkers among HNC survivors were eligible for inclusion. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute quality assessment tool. Results: Three studies were included in the review. Primary biomarkers assessed were inflammatory (eg, IL-6, TNF-α), oxidative stress (eg, 8-OHdG, MDA), and collagen fragment markers (eg, IC6, ProC3). Significant changes were observed in collagen fragment markers, specifically Pro C3, IC6 and IC6/C6M over time, although no correlation with lean body mass was found. Oxidative stress markers improved following exercise, with increases in total antioxidant capacity, decreases in 8-OHdG and carbonyl content. However, no significant changes were found in inflammatory markers or DNA methylation patterns post-intervention. Conclusion: Our review suggests that exercise shows potential in modulating physiological and molecular pathways’ among HNC survivors. Although only 3 studies were eligible for inclusion, these benefits might potentially translate into improvements in health-related outcomes amongst HNC survivors. Future large-scale trials with standardized exercise protocols and extended follow-up periods might improve our understanding of the long-term effects of exercise on biomarkers and survivorship outcomes in HNC.
AB - Purpose: HNC poses significant health challenges globally with over 650 000 new cases annually. Studies have demonstrated the benefits of exercise for many cancer types, with several exploring the effects of exercise on various molecular biomarkers. However, no study has systematically explored these effects among HNC survivors. Methods: Studies published up to February 2024 were screened on PubMed, SCOPUS and Web of Science using relevant keywords yielding 838 results. Studies that explored the effect of exercise-based interventions on molecular biomarkers among HNC survivors were eligible for inclusion. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute quality assessment tool. Results: Three studies were included in the review. Primary biomarkers assessed were inflammatory (eg, IL-6, TNF-α), oxidative stress (eg, 8-OHdG, MDA), and collagen fragment markers (eg, IC6, ProC3). Significant changes were observed in collagen fragment markers, specifically Pro C3, IC6 and IC6/C6M over time, although no correlation with lean body mass was found. Oxidative stress markers improved following exercise, with increases in total antioxidant capacity, decreases in 8-OHdG and carbonyl content. However, no significant changes were found in inflammatory markers or DNA methylation patterns post-intervention. Conclusion: Our review suggests that exercise shows potential in modulating physiological and molecular pathways’ among HNC survivors. Although only 3 studies were eligible for inclusion, these benefits might potentially translate into improvements in health-related outcomes amongst HNC survivors. Future large-scale trials with standardized exercise protocols and extended follow-up periods might improve our understanding of the long-term effects of exercise on biomarkers and survivorship outcomes in HNC.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105013885987
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105013885987#tab=citedBy
U2 - 10.1177/15347354251361463
DO - 10.1177/15347354251361463
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:105013885987
SN - 1534-7354
VL - 24
JO - Integrative Cancer Therapies
JF - Integrative Cancer Therapies
M1 - 15347354251361463
ER -
