Volume 29, Issue 164, October 2025

The Joint Impact of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour on Mortality and Health-Related Outcomes in Cancer Survivors: A Literature Review

Martyna Zwierzchowska^1♦, Joanna Karina Banaśkiewicz², Natalia Katarzyna Wagner-Bieleń³, Gabriela Helena Dąbrowska⁴, Agata Antoniak⁵, Anna Maria Jocz⁶, Anna Centkowska⁷, Aleksandra Maria Żyta¹, Maria Anna Żmijewska⁸, Jakub Ziółkowski¹, Darya Lazitskaya⁹

¹Independent Public Clinical Hospital of Prof. W. Orlowski CMKP, ul. Czerniakowska 231, 00-416 Warsaw, Poland
²Independent Public Health Care Complex - Hospital in Iłża, ul. Bodzentyńska 17, 27-100 Iłża, Poland
³Military Institute of Medicine - National Research Institute, ul. Szaserów 128, 04-141 Warsaw, Poland
⁴The Infant Jesus Teaching Hospital, ul. Williama Heerleina Lindleya 4, 02-005 Warsaw, Poland
⁵Praski Hospital of the Transfiguration of the Lord, al. "Solidarności" 67, 03-401 Warsaw, Poland, Poland
⁶Specialist Provincial Hospital in Ciechanów, Powstańców Wielkopolskich 2, 06-400 Ciechanów, Poland
⁷Wolski Hospital of Dr. Anna Gostyńska, ul. Marcina Kasprzaka 17, 01-211 Warsaw, Poland
⁸Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, ul. Żwirki i Wigury 61, 02-091 Warsaw, Poland
⁹Międzyleski Specialist Hospital in Warsaw, Bursztynowa 2, 04-749 Warsaw, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Martyna Zwierzchowska, Independent Public Clinical Hospital of Prof. W. Orlowski CMKP, ul. Czerniakowska 231, 00-416 Warsaw, Poland

ABSTRACT

With the growing number of cancer survivors worldwide, it has become increasingly important to create non-pharmacological approaches that support long-term health and promote better survival outcomes. While physical activity (PA) is widely recognised for its health benefits, and sedentary behaviour (SB) is known for its detrimental effects in the general population, evidence on their independent and especially joint associations with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and survival outcomes in cancer survivors has been limited. This literature review examines findings from recent prospective cohort studies and systematic reviews, drawing on a nationally representative sample of US cancer survivors, as well as specific populations by cancer type. The review highlights that both prolonged sitting and lack of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) independently increase mortality risks among cancer survivors. Their combined occurrence is linked to the greatest risk of both overall and cancer-specific mortality. At the same time, engaging in regular physical activity—even at modest levels—has been shown to improve HRQoL, reduce cancer-related fatigue, and enhance physical fitness in various groups of cancer survivors. The findings highlight the importance of promoting LTPA and reducing SB as key elements of cancer survivorship care, with meaningful implications for clinical practice and public health guidelines.

Keywords: leisure-time physical activity, physical exercise, sedentary behaviour, cancer, survivorship

Medical Science, 2025, 29, e205ms3659

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Published: 11 October 2025