Therapeutic approach for digestive system cancers and potential implications of exercise under hypoxia condition: what little is known? a narrative review

Abstract

Background: Cancer, like other chronic pathologies, is associated with the presence of hypoxic regions due to the uncontrolled cell growth. Under this pathological hypoxic condition, various molecular signaling pathways are activated to ensure cell survival, such as those that govern angiogenesis, erythropoiesis, among others. These molecular processes are very similar to the physiological response caused by exposure to altitude (natural hypobaric systemic hypoxia), the use of artificial hypoxia devices (systemic normobaric simulated hypoxia) or the delivery of vascular occlusion to the extremities (also called local hypoxia by the blood flow restriction technique). "Tumor hypoxia" has gained further clinical importance due to its crucial role in both tumor progression and resistance to treatment. However, the ability to manipulate this pathway through physical exercise and systemic hypoxia-mediated signaling pathways could offer an important range of therapeutic opportunities that should be further investigated.

Methods: This review is focused on the potential implications of systemic hypoxia combined with exercise in digestive system neoplasms prognosis. Articles included in the review were retrieved by searching among the three main scientific databases: PubMed, Scopus, and Embase.

Findings: The findings of this review suggest that exercise performed under systemic hypoxic conditions could have a positive impact in prognosis and quality of life of the population with digestive system cancers.

Conclusions: Further studies are needed to consider this paradigm as a new potential intervention in digestive oncological population.

Keywords: Aerobic exercise; Cell hypoxia; Digestive system neoplasms; Exercise; Hypoxia; Resistance training.