While exercise and physical activity have been suggested to reduce mortality and symptoms in cancer, knowledge on these associations in patients with childhood cancer (CCPs) is sparse. Anti-inflammatory properties of exercise might mediate these beneficial effects. We investigated the influence of exercise on the inflammation markers neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, and systemic-immune-inflammation index (SII) and associations to patient-reported-outcomes in CCPs in a randomized-controlled trial. Results show associations between inflammation markers and patient-reported outcomes. Compared to the control group, SII was significantly reduced following exercise (p=0.036). Anti-inflammatory effects of exercise are also present in CCPs and may underlie exercise-induced benefits on symptoms. Clinical Trial Registration Number: NCT02612025.
Keywords: Cellular inflammation; Endurance training; Pediatric oncology; Resistance training; Tumor entities.
© 2021. The Author(s).