EFFECTS OF A THERAPEUTIC STRENGTH TRAINING PROGRAMME ON QUALITY OF LIFE, FUNCTIONAL ABILITY AND MENTAL HEALTH IN PAEDIATRIC CANCER PATIENTS

Background and Current State of the Art Childhood cancer, although relatively rare compared to adult cancer, is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality due to disease in the pediatric population worldwide. It is estimated that more than 400,000 cases of cancer are diagnosed each year in children and adolescents under the age of 19, with leukemias, central nervous system tumors, and lymphomas being the most common types. Despite significant advances in diagnosis and treatment that have substantially increased survival rates in recent decades, many pediatric patients experience physical and psychological side effects derived from both the disease and oncological treatments, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgery.

Among the most frequent complications are cancer-related fatigue, muscle mass loss, decreased cardiorespiratory capacity, functional impairment, and psychological alterations such as anxiety, depression, or social adaptation difficulties. These effects can significantly impact the physical, cognitive, and emotional development of children, as well as their quality of life during and after treatment.

In this context, physical exercise has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological intervention to improve the health and well-being of pediatric patients with chronic diseases, including cancer. Various studies in the adult population have shown that exercise can help reduce fatigue, preserve muscle mass, improve cardiorespiratory function, and promote psychological well-being during oncological treatment. In recent years, research in the pediatric population has begun to explore these benefits, showing positive preliminary results.

Physical exercise, when prescribed safely and adapted to the patient's clinical and functional characteristics, can contribute to enhancing functional capacity, promoting physical recovery, and fostering participation in daily and school activities. Furthermore, it has been observed that physical activity can play an important role in regulating relevant physiological processes in cancer patients, such as systemic inflammation, energy metabolism, and immune function.

Despite these promising findings, scientific evidence regarding the effects of physical exercise in the pediatric cancer population remains limited compared to that available for adults. In particular, there are significant gaps regarding optimal exercise prescription, including the most appropriate type of activity, intensity, frequency, and duration for different ages, tumor types, and treatment phases. Therefore, further research into the impact of physical exercise on children with cancer is necessary to develop evidence-based intervention programs that contribute to improving their recovery and quality of life.