Exercise interventions for depressive symptoms in adults with lung and digestive cancer: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

To evaluate the effects of exercise interventions on depressive symptoms in adults with lung and gastrointestinal cancers.

Eight randomized controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis.
No significant difference in depressive symptoms between exercise and control groups before intervention.
Post-intervention, exercise significantly reduced depressive symptoms compared to control (SMD = -0.45, P = 0.02).
Substantial heterogeneity was observed.
Individually delivered programs, walking-based exercise, and moderate-frequency training (3–5 times per week) showed numerically larger effect estimates.
Subgroup differences were not statistically significant.

Exercise interventions may reduce depressive symptoms in adults with lung and digestive cancer.

Subgroup differences were not statistically significant.
Further large-scale, high-quality randomized trials are needed to confirm findings and include diverse cancer populations.

Exercise represents a promising adjunctive strategy for psychological care in these populations.