Monitoring potentially modifiable lifestyle factors in cancer survivors: A narrative review on currently available methodologies and innovations for large-scale surveillance

Higher Incidence of Diabetes in Cancer Patients Compared to Cancer-Free Population Controls: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Diabetes increases the risk of certain types of cancer. However, the literature regarding the incidence of diabetes after cancer diagnosis is inconsistent. We aimed to assess whether there was a higher incidence of diabetes among cancer patients by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis of results from cohort studies. Methods: A systematic electronic literature search was carried out from cohort studies regarding the incidence of diabetes in cancer patients, using the databases PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted to pool the estimates. Results: A total of 34 articles involving 360,971 cancer patients and 1,819,451 cancer-free controls were included in the meta-analysis. An increased pooled relative risk (RR) of 1.42 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.30−1.54, I2 = 95, τ2 = 0.0551, p < 0.01) for diabetes in cancer patients was found compared with the cancer-free population. The highest relative risk was observed in the first year after cancer diagnosis (RR = 2.06; 95% CI 1.63−2.60). Conclusions: New-onset diabetes is positively associated with cancer, but this association varies according to cancer type. More prospective studies with large sample sizes and longer follow-up times are advocated to further examine the association and the underlying mechanisms.

Measuring Clinical, Biological, and Behavioral Variables to Elucidate Trajectories of Patient (Reported) Outcomes: The PROFILES Registry

To take cancer survivorship research to the next level, it's important to gain insight in trajectories of changing patient (reported) outcomes and impaired recovery after cancer. This is needed as the number of survivors is increasing and a large proportion is confronted with changing health after treatment. Mechanistic research can facilitate the development of personalized risk-stratified follow-up care and tailored interventions to promote healthy cancer survivorship. We describe how these trajectories can be studied by taking the recently extended Dutch population-based PROFILES (Patient Reported Outcomes Following Initial treatment and Long term Evaluation of Survivorship) registry as an example. PROFILES combines longitudinal assessment of patient-reported outcomes with novel, ambulatory and objective measures (e.g., activity trackers; blood draws; hair samples; online food diaries; online cognitive tests; weighing scales; online symptoms assessment), and cancer registry and pharmacy databases. Furthermore, we discuss methods to optimize the use of a multidomain data collection like return of individual results to participants which may not only improve patient empowerment but also long-term cohort retention. Also, advanced statistical methods are needed to handle high-dimensional longitudinal data (with missing values) and provide insight into trajectories of changing patient (reported) outcomes after cancer. Our coded data can be used by academic researchers around the world. Registries like PROFILES, that go beyond boundaries of disciplines and institutions, will contribute to better predictions of who will experience changes and why. This is needed to prevent and mitigate long-term and late effects of cancer (treatment) and to identify new interventions to promote health.

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

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.

Future care for long-term cancer survivors: towards a new model

Purpose

The increase in the prevalence "long-term cancer survivor” (LCS) patients is expected to increase the cost of LCS care. The aim of this study was to obtain information that would allow to optimise the current model of health management in Spain to adapt it to one of efficient LCS patient care.

Methods

This qualitative study was carried out using Delphi methodology. An advisory committee defined the criteria for participation, select the panel of experts, prepare the questionnaire, interpret the results and draft the final report.

Results

232 people took part in the study (48 oncologists). Absolute consensus was reached in three of the proposed sections: oncological epidemiology, training of health professionals and ICT functions.

Conclusion

The role of primary care in the clinical management of LCS patients needs to be upgraded, coordination with the oncologist and hospital care is essential. The funding model needs to be adapted to determine the funding conditions for new drugs and technologies.

Comorbidity, lifestyle factors, and sexual satisfaction among Chinese cancer survivors

Objectives

This study aims to explore the prevalence of sexual satisfaction among Chinese cancer survivors, and explore the association of sexual satisfaction with comorbidity and lifestyle factors.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study was performed among 3996 Chinese cancer survivors recruited at Shanghai Cancer Rehabilitation Club from March to April 2017. Data were collected through self‐reported questionnaires. The questionnaire includes information about demographic, cancer characteristics, comorbidities, lifestyle factors, and sexual satisfaction. Sexual satisfaction was measured by a single‐item scale. The distribution of sexual satisfaction among different demographic and cancer characteristics was compared using the chi‐squared test. Logistic regression models were conducted to assess the effects of lifestyle factors, comorbidities on sexual satisfaction after adjustment for demographic and cancer characteristics.

Results

More than 40% of male and female cancer survivors reported no sexual satisfaction. Sexual satisfaction of cancer survivors is significantly associated with both the number and the type of comorbidities. Heart disease, musculoskeletal system disease, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia are the comorbidities significantly associated with sexual satisfaction of cancer survivors. Lifestyle factors other than smoking, including exercise or fitness, drinking alcohol, and eating fruits and vegetables are significantly correlated with sexual satisfaction. Besides, all of the above associations show gender differences. In addition, demographic characteristics include sex, age, marital status, living status, and average monthly income are also significantly associated with sexual satisfaction of cancer survivors.

Conclusion

Comorbidity and lifestyle factors are associated with sexual satisfaction of cancer survivors, and the associations show gender differences. Improving the lifestyles of cancer survivors, and controlling and reducing their comorbidities are important for improving their sexual satisfaction.

This study aims to investigate the prevalence of sexual satisfaction among Chinese cancer survivors, and explore the association of sexual satisfaction with comorbidity and lifestyle factors. Comorbidity and lifestyle factors are associated with sexual satisfaction of cancer survivors, and the associations show gender differences. Improving the lifestyles of cancer survivors, and controlling and reducing their comorbidities are important for improving their sexual satisfaction.

Effects of supervised exercise during adjuvant endocrine therapy in overweight or obese patients with breast cancer: The I-MOVE study

Background

Adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET) in patients with breast cancer (BC) increases the risk of becoming less physically active. Physical inactivity is associated with a higher risk of treatment-related side effects and mortality. This study investigated whether supervised exercise increased the proportion of patients adhering to the national physical activity (PA) guideline during adjuvant ET in overweight or obese BC patients.

Methods

This multicentre single-arm clinical trial included patients with BC participating in a 12-week supervised exercise intervention. An accelerometer measured moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) at baseline (T0), after 12 (T1) and 26 weeks (T2). The primary endpoint was change in the proportion of patients with weekly ≥150 min of MVPA at T1 compared to T0. Secondary endpoints were adherence to PA guideline at T2, metabolic syndrome (MetS), body composition, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and BC-specific functioning and symptoms, self-reported PA, self-efficacy, exercise motivation and satisfaction with life.

Results

141 patients with a median age of 61 years and a mean BMI of 31.3 participated. Adherence to the PA guideline increased from 38.3% at T0, to 40.4% at T1 (p = .112) and 44.7% at T2 (p = .003). MetS, body composition, HRQoL, BC-specific functioning and symptoms (i.e. fatigue, dyspnoea), self-reported PA, self-efficacy, exercise motivation and satisfaction with life improved significantly over time.

Conclusions

Supervised exercise increased the proportion of BC patients adhering to the PA guideline over time. Furthermore, MetS, body composition, HRQoL and symptoms improved. Our findings highlight the clinical relevance of supervised exercise during ET in overweight BC patients.

Clinical trial information

(NCT02424292).

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Overweight breast cancer patients on endocrine therapy can be motivated for supervised exercise.

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Supervised exercise increases adherence to the physical activity guideline.

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Metabolic syndrome and quality of life improved due to our intervention.

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Participation in supervised exercise induces persistent clinical improvements.