scholarly journals Lifestyle and Pain following Cancer: State-of-the-Art and Future Directions

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 195
Author(s):  
Astrid Lahousse ◽  
Eva Roose ◽  
Laurence Leysen ◽  
Sevilay Tümkaya Yilmaz ◽  
Kenza Mostaqim ◽  
...  

This review discusses chronic pain, multiple modifiable lifestyle factors, such as stress, insomnia, diet, obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity, and the relationship between these lifestyle factors and pain after cancer. Chronic pain is known to be a common consequence of cancer treatments, which considerably impacts cancer survivors’ quality of life when it remains untreated. Improvements in lifestyle behaviour are known to reduce mortality, comorbid conditions (i.e., cardiovascular diseases, other cancer, and recurrence) and cancer-related side-effects (i.e., fatigue and psychological issues). An inadequate stress response plays an important role in dysregulating the body’s autonomic, endocrine, and immune responses, creating a problematic back loop with pain. Next, given the high vulnerability of cancer survivors to insomnia, addressing and treating those sleep problems should be another target in pain management due to its capacity to increase hyperalgesia. Furthermore, adherence to a healthy diet holds great anti-inflammatory potential for relieving pain after cancer. Additionally, a healthy diet might go hand in hand with weight reduction in the case of obesity. Consuming alcohol and smoking have an acute analgesic effect in the short-term, with evidence lacking in the long-term. However, this acute effect is outweighed by other harms on cancer survivors’ general health. Last, informing patients about the benefits of an active lifestyle and reducing a sedentary lifestyle after cancer treatment must be emphasised when considering the proven benefits of physical activity in this population. A multimodal approach addressing all relevant lifestyle factors together seems appropriate for managing comorbid conditions, side-effects, and chronic pain after cancer. Further research is needed to evaluate whether modifiable lifestyle factors have a beneficial influence on chronic pain among cancer survivors.

Children ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (11) ◽  
pp. 146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Pétrin ◽  
Max Fiander ◽  
Prenitha Doss ◽  
E. Yeh

Knowledge of the effect of modifiable lifestyle factors in the pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS) population is limited. We therefore conducted a scoping review, following the framework provided by Arksey and O’Malley. Four databases were searched for pediatric MS and modifiable lifestyle factors using index terms and keywords, from inception to May 2018. All quantitative and qualitative primary articles were included and limited to English and full text. Of the 7202 articles identified and screened, 25 full-text articles were relevant to our objective and were included. These articles focused on diet obesity, physical activity, and sleep. In cross-sectional analyses, these lifestyle factors were associated with increased risk of pediatric onset MS (POMS), and increased disease activity. Diet, particularly vitamin D and vegetable intake, was associated with reduced relapse rate. Obesity was linked to increased risk of POMS, and physical activity was associated with reduced relapse rate and sleep/rest fatigue. Thus, available studies of lifestyle related outcomes in pediatric MS suggest specific lifestyle related factors, including obesity, higher vitamin D levels, and higher physical activity may associate with lower disease burden in POMS. Studies reviewed are limited by their observational designs. Future studies with longitudinal and experimental designs may further clarify the role of modifiable lifestyle factors in this population.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuanyuan Lei ◽  
Suzanne C. Ho ◽  
Carol Kwok ◽  
Ashley Cheng ◽  
Ka Li Cheung ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: To compare change in level of physical activitybetween pre-and post- diagnosis of breast cancer in Chinese women.Methods:Based on an on-going prospective study consisting of 1462 Chinese women with early-stage breast cancer, a validated modified Chinese Baecke questionnaire was used to measure physical activity at baseline (12 months before cancer diagnosis), 18-, 36- and 60-months after diagnosis (over the previous 12 months before each interview). Results:The overall physical activity level at post-diagnosis was 5.8 MET-hours/week, which was significantly higher than that at pre-diagnosis at a median level of 0.6 MET-hours/week (P <0.001).The median levels of physical activity at 18-, 36- and 60-months follow-up were5.3, 4.4 and 3.9 MET-hours/week, respectively. There was no significant difference between any two of the three follow-ups at post-diagnosis. The proportions of participant who met WCRF/AICR recommendation before and after cancer diagnosis were both low, being 20.7% and 35.1%, respectively.Compared to pre-diagnosis, most of the patients improved or had no change on level of physical activity at post-diagnosis, with the respective proportion being 48.2% and 43.8%. Conclusions:Adherence to current lifestyle recommendation for cancer survivors, Chinese women with breast cancer significantly increasedlevel of physical activity level after cancer diagnosis, and such improvement was sustained to five years post-diagnosis. The proportion of patients who met the exercise recommendation for cancer survivors was still low. Encouraging patients on the importance of durable high level of physical activity in breast cancer survivorship is warranted.


Author(s):  
Fränzel J.B. van Duijnhoven ◽  
Ellen Kampman

Worldwide, there is a large difference in cancer rates. These rates may change over generations when people move from one part of the world to another. This occurs because these generations adapt their lifestyle to that of the host country, indicating that lifestyle factors are important in the aetiology of cancer. In this chapter an overview of established associations between body fatness, physical activity, diet, and other lifestyle factors and the development of cancer is given. About one-third of all cancers worldwide are caused by an unhealthy lifestyle. Evidence-based recommendations for the general population to decrease their risk of cancer have been set. Guidelines for individuals who are diagnosed with cancer, however, are lacking, due to limited evidence on the role of lifestyle during and after cancer treatment. Research should now be directed towards the role of body fatness, physical activity, diet, and other lifestyle factors in cancer progression.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S387-S388
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Salerno ◽  
Pedro Saint Maurice ◽  
Erik Willis ◽  
Loretta DiPietro ◽  
Charles Matthews

Abstract We examined the association between self-reported walking pace and all-cause mortality among cancer survivors in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study. Participants included 30,110 adults (Mage=62.4+/-5.14 years) diagnosed with cancer between study enrollment and follow-up, when they self-reported walking pace. Individuals were followed until death or administrative censoring in 2011. We estimated the hazards ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for walking pace and all-cause mortality adjusting for age, sex, race, BMI, health status, physical activity and cancer type. Cancer survivors reporting faster walking paces had significantly reduced mortality risk. Relative to those reporting an ‘easy’ walking pace, walking at a ‘normal,’ ‘brisk,’ or ‘very brisk’ pace was associated with significantly lower risk: [HR=0.74 (0.70,0.78)], [HR=0.66 (0.61,0.71)], and [HR=0.73 (0.60,0.89)], respectively. Being ‘unable to walk’ was associated with 30% increased mortality [HR=1.30 (1.15,1.46)]. These findings provide novel support for the association between self-reported walking pace and survival after cancer.


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e24080-e24080
Author(s):  
Eva Battaglini ◽  
David Goldstein ◽  
Susanna Park

e24080 Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a major yet poorly understood side effect of cancer treatment, leading to symptoms including numbness, tingling and pain. It can lead to cessation of effective treatment, long-term functional disability and reduced quality of life. Despite this, there is currently little understanding of its impact. Methods: The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of neurotoxic chemotherapy side effects on the lives of cancer survivors. Data was collected via an online survey covering demographics, cancer diagnosis and treatment, CIPN and other side effects of chemotherapy, using standardised measures to assess comorbidities, quality of life, physical activity, pain and CIPN symptoms. Results: Data was analysed from 986 respondents who were treated with neurotoxic therapies (83% female, 16% male), with mean age 59 years ( SD 10.7 years). A majority of respondents were treated for breast cancer (59%), 14% for colorectal cancer and 11% for multiple myeloma. Chemotherapy types received included paclitaxel (32%), docetaxel (32%) and oxaliplatin (13%), and respondents completed treatment a mean of 3.6 years ago. The majority of respondents (80%) reported experiencing neuropathic symptoms after finishing chemotherapy, with 77% reporting current CIPN. Those with CIPN reported functional impacts, with 23% reporting moderate to severe problems with hand function and 28% reporting moderate to severe walking difficulties. CIPN was second most commonly rated as the treatment side effect having the greatest impact, following fatigue. Respondents with high levels of current CIPN symptoms had poorer quality of life, more comorbid health conditions, higher BMI and more often received multiple neurotoxic chemotherapies than those with low levels of CIPN symptoms. In addition, respondents who reported meeting government physical activity guidelines had lower CIPN and higher quality of life scores than those who did not meet the guidelines. Regression analyses investigating the association between quality of life and clinical and sociodemographic characteristics resulted in a model with comorbid health conditions, CIPN symptoms, years since treatment, age and physical activity as significant predictors of quality of life. Conclusions: These findings suggest that CIPN has a lasting impact on cancer survivors, leading to decreases in quality of life, often occurring alongside poorer general health. This impact supports the need for further research to improve assessment, prevention and treatment.


2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shirley M. Bluethmann ◽  
Christopher N. Sciamanna ◽  
Renate M. Winkels ◽  
Kathleen M. Sturgeon ◽  
Kathryn H. Schmitz

As the number of US cancer survivors now reaches almost 16 million, understanding how to care for survivors after cancer treatment has demanded national attention. Increasingly, compelling benefits of lifestyle behaviors for cancer prevention and control have been demonstrated. In particular, physical activity is recommended as a central component of healthy living after cancer treatment. However, survivors struggle to achieve recommended physical activity and other behaviors for reasons that are still not well understood. Further, as greater than 60% of cancer survivors are older than 65 years, there is a unique opportunity to increase engagement of older adults in health programs and clinical trials. This article considers evidence from two reviews: a review on epidemiology studies of lifestyle and cancer and a review on different behavioral intervention strategies to achieve positive behavioral changes in cancer survivors. Both reviews offer important evidence on the role of lifestyle in life after cancer treatment. However, more investigation is needed on the practice of lifestyle medicine for cancer survivors, including ways to extend the reach of health promotion beyond cancer clinics, to primary care and community settings.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuanyuan Lei ◽  
Suzanne C. Ho ◽  
Carol Kwok ◽  
Ashley Cheng ◽  
Ka Li Cheung ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: To compare change in level of physical activity between pre-and post- diagnosis of breast cancer in Chinese women.Methods: Based on an on-going prospective study consisting of 1462 Chinese women with early-stage breast cancer, a validated modified Chinese Baecke questionnaire was used to measure physical activity at baseline (12 months before cancer diagnosis), 18-, 36- and 60-months after diagnosis (over the previous 12 months before each interview).Results: The mean level of physical activity at post-diagnosis was 9.6 metabolic equivalent of task (MET)-hours/week, which was significantly higher than that at pre-diagnosis with mean level of 5.9 MET-hours/week ( P < 0.001). The mean levels of physical activity at 18-, 36- and 60-months follow-up were 9.9, 9.8 and 9.3 MET-hours/week, respectively. There was no significant difference between any two of the three follow-ups at post-diagnosis. The proportions of participant who met World Cancer Research Fund/ American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) recommendation before and after cancer diagnosis were both low, being 20.7% and 35.1%, respectively. Compared to pre-diagnosis, most of the patients improved or had no change on level of physical activity at post-diagnosis, with the respective proportion being 48.2% and 43.8%.Conclusions: Adherence to current lifestyle recommendation for cancer survivors, Chinese women with breast cancer significantly increased level of physical activity level after cancer diagnosis, and such improvement was sustained to five years post-diagnosis. The proportion of patients who met the exercise recommendation for cancer survivors was still low. Encouraging patients on the importance of durable high level of physical activity in breast cancer survivorship is warranted.


2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (10) ◽  
pp. 1600-1606 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanne K. Chambers ◽  
Brigid M. Lynch ◽  
Joanne Aitken ◽  
Peter Baade

Purpose Increased physical activity in patients with colorectal cancer is related to improved recurrence-free and overall survival. Psychological distress after cancer may place patients at risk of reduced physical activity, but paradoxically may also act as a motivator for lifestyle change. The relationship between psychological distress and physical activity after cancer over time has not been described. Methods A prospective survey of 1,966 (57% response) colorectal cancer survivors assessed the psychological distress variables of anxiety, depression, somatization, and cancer threat appraisal as predictors of physical activity at 5, 12, 24, and 36 months postdiagnosis; 978 respondents had valid data for all time points. Results Higher somatization was associated with greater physical inactivity (relative risk ratio [RRR] = 1.12; 95% CI, 1.1 to 1.2) and insufficient physical activity (RRR = 1.05; 95% CI, 0.90 to 1.0). Respondents with a more positive appraisal of their cancer were significantly (P = .031) less likely to be inactive (RRR = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.90 to 1.0) or insufficiently active (RRR = 0.96). Fatigued and obese respondents and current smokers were more inactive. Respondents whose somatization increased between two time periods were less likely to increase their physical activity over the same period (P < .001). Respondents with higher anxiety at one time period were less likely to have increased their activity at the next assessment (P = .004). There was no association between depression and physical activity. Conclusion Cancer survivors who experience somatization and anxiety are at greater risk of physical inactivity. The lack of a clear relationship between higher psychological distress and increasing physical activity argues against distress as a motivator to exercise in these patients.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuanyuan Lei ◽  
Suzanne C. Ho ◽  
Carol Kwok ◽  
Ashley Cheng ◽  
Ka Li Cheung ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: To compare change in level of physical activity between pre-and post- diagnosis of breast cancer in Chinese women.Methods: Based on an on-going prospective study consisting of a sample of Chinese women with breast cancer, a validated modified Chinese Baecke questionnaire was used to measure physical activity at baseline (12 months before cancer diagnosis), 18-, 36- and 60-months after diagnosis (over the previous 12 months before each interview). Results: In our cohort of 1462 Chinese women with a mean age of 52 years, the mean level of physical activity at post-diagnosis was 9.6 metabolic equivalent of task (MET)-hours/week, which was significantly higher than that at pre-diagnosis with mean level of 5.9 MET-hours/week (P < 0.001). The mean levels of physical activity at 18-, 36- and 60-months follow-up were 9.9, 9.8 and 9.3 MET-hours/week, respectively. There was no significant difference between any two of the three follow-ups at post-diagnosis. The proportions of participant who met World Cancer Research Fund/ American Institute for Cancer Research (WCRF/AICR) recommendation before and after cancer diagnosis were both low, being 20.7% and 35.1%, respectively. Compared to pre-diagnosis, most of the patients improved or had no change on level of physical activity at post-diagnosis, with the respective proportion being 48.2% and 43.8%. Conclusions: Adherence to current lifestyle recommendation for cancer survivors, Chinese women with breast cancer significantly increased level of physical activity level after cancer diagnosis, and such improvement was sustained to five years post-diagnosis. The proportion of patients who met the exercise recommendation for cancer survivors was still low. Encouraging patients on the importance of durable high level of physical activity in breast cancer survivorship is warranted.


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