Is Resistance Training an Effective Treatment for Fatigue in People With Cancer?

Harrison Eckert, DO,

Jacob Ioannis Valvis, DO,

Beebe Healthcare Family Medicine Residency Program, Lewes, Delaware

Jeffrey C. Leggit, MD, CAQSM,

Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland

American Family Physician. 2025;112(5):487-488.

Author disclosure: No relevant financial relationships.

This clinical content conforms to AAFP criteria for CME.

Author disclosure: No relevant financial relationships.

1.Ernst M, Wagner C, Oeser A, et al. Resistance training for fatigue in people with cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2024(11):CD015518.
2.American Cancer Society. Cancer-related fatigue. July 16, 2024. Accessed February 12, 2025. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/managing-cancer/side-effects/fatigue-weakness-sleep/fatigue.html
3.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cancer data and statistics. June 10, 2025. Accessed September 2, 2025. www.cdc.gov/cancer/data/index.html
4.GRADE Working Group. Grading quality of evidence and strength of recommendations. BMJ. 2004;328(7454):1490.
5.American Cancer Society. Physical activity and the person with cancer. March 16, 2022. Accessed February 12, 2025. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/survivorship/be-healthy-after-treatment/physical-activity-and-the-cancer-patient.html

These are summaries of reviews from the Cochrane Library.

This series is coordinated by Corey D. Fogleman, MD, assistant medical editor.

A collection of Cochrane for Clinicians published in AFP is available at https://www.aafp.org/afp/cochrane.

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