Effect of exercise-conditioned human serum on the viability of human cancer cell cultures: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Numerous epidemiological studies have shown the existence of a relationship between exercise and a reduced risk of different types of cancer. In vitro studies have identified a direct effect of exercise-conditioned human serum on cancer cell lines of the lung, breast, prostate, and colon. The aim of this systematic review with meta-analysis (SRM) was to estimate the magnitude of the effect that exercise-conditioned human serum produced on the viability of human cancer cell cultures. The design followed the PRISMA guidelines and the TREND statement to assess the quality of information (QoI) in each study. Nine in vitro studies were included in the SRM, involving a total of nine cancer cell lines and serum from 244 individuals from different countries, including namely healthy sedentary individuals, at risk of prostate cancer individuals and cancer patients, with ages ranging from 18 to 73 years. The impact of acute exercise-conditioned human serum on the viability of cancer cell cultures was analysed by a variety of assays, using pre-exercise human serum for comparison purposes. Globally, cultures of cancer cell lines exposed to human serum conditioned by acute exercise of various intensities exhibited a reduced viability, when compared with control cultures, with an overall effect size (ES) of -1.126 (95% CI; -1.300 to -0.952; p < 0.001). When the analysis only included human serum conditioned by acute high-intensity exercise, the effect became more pronounced (ES -1.350; -1.522 to -1.179 (95% CI); p < 0.001). These results are in line with the hypothesis that changes in human serum induced by exercise might play a role in the beneficial effects of physical activity in cancer prevention and management and that these effects depend on exercise intensity.