Physiotherapy and Physical Activity as Factors Improving the Psychological State of Patients With Cancer

Physiotherapeutic Approach Toward Restoring Upper Limb Function Post the Surgical Excision of Desmoid Fibromatosis Tumor Over the Right Upper Arm

Desmoid fibromatosis is an uncommon soft tissue tumor that is locally aggressive and can result in both pain and limited range of motion (ROM). The rehabilitation protocol is designed to promote optimal recovery and functional outcomes by following a phased approach. Initially, the focus is on managing pain and performing passive ROM exercises immediately after surgery. As the weeks progress, the exercises transition to active-assisted and then active ROM exercises. Additionally, strengthening exercises, manual therapy techniques, and functional training are incorporated to improve muscle strength, flexibility, and coordination. The goal of the rehabilitation journey is to ensure a safe return to daily activities while closely monitoring for any signs of recurrence or functional deficits. This comprehensive approach highlights the importance of collaboration between surgical teams, rehabilitation specialists, and patients in order to achieve successful outcomes.

Higher Levels of Multiple Types of Stress Are Associated With Worse State Anxiety and Morning Fatigue Profiles in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

Anxiety and fatigue are common problems in patients receiving chemotherapy. Unrelieved stress is a potential cause for the co-occurrence of these symptoms.

OBJECTIVES

The aims of this study were to identify subgroups of patients with distinct state anxiety and morning fatigue profiles and evaluate for differences among these subgroups in demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as measures of global, cancer-specific, and cumulative life stress and resilience and coping.

METHODS

Patients (n = 1335) completed measures of state anxiety and morning fatigue 6 times over 2 cycles of chemotherapy. All of the other measures were completed prior to the second or third cycle of chemotherapy. Latent profile analysis was used to identify the state anxiety and morning fatigue profiles.

RESULTS

Three distinct joint profiles were identified: Low Anxiety and Low Morning Fatigue (59%), Moderate Anxiety and Moderate Morning Fatigue (33.4%), and High Anxiety and High Morning Fatigue (7.6%). Patients in the 2 highest classes were younger, were less likely to be married/partnered, and had a higher comorbidity burden. All of the stress scores demonstrated a dose-response effect (ie, as anxiety and morning fatigue profiles worsened, stress increased). Patients in the 2 highest classes reported higher rates of emotional abuse, physical neglect, physical abuse, and sexual harassment.

CONCLUSIONS

More than 40% of these patients experienced moderate to high levels of both anxiety and morning fatigue. Higher levels of all 3 types of stress were associated with the 2 highest profiles.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Clinicians need to perform comprehensive evaluations of patients' levels of stress and recommend referrals to psychosocial services.

The effect of aquatic and land exercise on the mental well-being of women following breast cancer surgery-comparative study

PURPOSE

Women after surgical treatment of breast cancer are less likely to engage in physical activity and may exhibit depressive symptoms even for many years post-treatment. The aim of the study was to compare the impact of 6 months aquatic and land exercise on mental well-being of women after breast cancer surgery.

METHODS

The study was based on a survey which involved a total of 90 women ≥ 50 years of age (including 60 subjects after treatment of breast cancer ≥ 2 years after surgery and 30 healthy control). The study participants were divided into three groups, i.e. women attending general exercise sessions in a gym (A, n = 30), participating in aquatic exercise (B, n = 30), as well as healthy female peers reporting no regular physical exercise for the period of 6 months (C, n = 30). The present data were acquired using standardized questionnaires designed to assess physical activity (IPAQ-SF), mental well-being (WHO-5) and level of anxiety, i.e., Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7).

RESULTS

Both the aquatic and land exercise had positive effect on mental well-being of woman after breast cancer surgery and there were no significant differences between them. Analysis of the anxiety level (GAD-7) confirms that women after breast cancer treatment were more exposed to a feeling of generalised anxiety disorder, i.e. 8.67 vs. 6.73, 4.5 (p = 0.001). The results of WHO-5 index were significantly higher in the A and B groups comparing to healthy control, i.e. 13.27 vs. 14.18; 10.10 (p < 0.001), but the obtained results still indicate the low self-esteem of the study group. Women after breast cancer surgery who regularly participated in aquatic exercise were engaged in more vigorous physical activity compared to the other groups, i.e. 1049.33 vs. 521.33; 860.00 MET min/week (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Regardless of the type of physical activity, 6 months aquatic and land exercise contributed to improved mental well-being and ensured adequate levels of moderate physical activity of woman after BC surgery. Regular physical activity is crucial in the rehabilitation after mastectomy and can be an effective treatment to achieve beneficial mental outcomes.

The influence of lifestyle changes (diet, exercise and stress reduction) on prostate cancer tumour biology and patient outcomes: A systematic review

Background

The mostly indolent natural history of prostate cancer (PCa) provides an opportunity for men to explore the benefits of lifestyle interventions. Current evidence suggests appropriate changes in lifestyle including diet, physical activity (PA) and stress reduction with or without dietary supplements may improve both disease outcomes and patient's mental health.

Objective

This article aims to review the current evidence on the benefits of all lifestyle programmes for PCa patients including those aimed at reducing obesity and stress, explore their affect on tumour biology and highlight any biomarkers that have clinical utility.

Evidence acquisition

Evidence was obtained from PubMed and Web of Science using keywords for each section on the affects of lifestyle interventions on (a) mental health, (b) disease outcomes and (c) biomarkers in PCa patients. PRISMA guidelines were used to gather the evidence for these three sections (15, 44 and 16 publications, respectively).

Evidence synthesis

For lifestyle studies focused on mental health, 10/15 demonstrated a positive influence, although for those programmes focused on PA it was 7/8. Similarly for oncological outcomes, 26/44 studies demonstrated a positive influence, although when PA was included or the primary focus, it was 11/13. Complete blood count (CBC)-derived inflammatory biomarkers show promise, as do inflammatory cytokines; however, a deeper understanding of their molecular biology in relation to PCa oncogenesis is required (16 studies reviewed).

Conclusions

Making PCa-specific recommendations on lifestyle interventions is difficult on the current evidence. Nevertheless, notwithstanding the heterogeneity of patient populations and interventions, the evidence that dietary changes and PA may improve both mental health and oncological outcomes is compelling, especially for moderate to vigorous PA. The results for dietary supplements are inconsistent, and although some biomarkers show promise, significantly more research is required before they have clinical utility.

Physical Activity, Exercise, and Sports in Individuals with Skeletal Dysplasia: What Is Known about Their Benefits?

There is a lack of knowledge about the practice of physical activity, exercise, and sports in people with skeletal dysplasia (SD). This study aimed to characterize the physical fitness of people with SD; investigate the benefits of physical activity, exercise, or sports programs for people with SD; identify the adapted physical activities that can be prescribed to individuals with SD; and identify the most common and effective structural characteristics and guidelines for the evaluation of individuals with SD and corresponding activity prescriptions. Electronic searches were carried out in the PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, Psycinfo, and Web of Science databases in October 2021 and March 2022 and included papers published until 3 March 2022. The search strategy terms used were “dwarfism”, “dwarf”, “skeletal dysplasia”, “achondroplasia”, “pseudoachondroplasia”, “hypochondroplasia”, “campomelic dysplasia”, “hair cartilage hypoplasia”, “x-linked hypophosphatemia”, “metaphyseal chondrodysplasia schmid type”, “multiple epiphyseal dysplasia”, “three M syndrome”, “3-M syndrome”, “hypophosphatasia”, “fibrodysplasia ossificans progressive”, “type II collagen disorders”, “type II collagenopathies”, “type II collagenopathy”, “physical activity”, “exercise”, “sport”, “training”, and “physical fitness”, with the Boolean operators “AND” or “OR”. After reading the full texts of the studies, and according to previously defined eligibility criteria, fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria; however, there was not a single intervention study with physical exercise. Several cross-sectional, review, or qualitative studies presented a set of essential aspects that future intervention studies can consider when evaluating, prescribing, and implementing physical exercise programs, as they allowed the physical characterization of the SD population. This study demonstrated an apparent scarcity in the literature of experimental studies with physical exercise implementation in the SD population.