Long-Term Prostate Cancer Survivors and Lifestyle Changes
Study Overview
A recent study published in PLOS ONE examined the lifestyle choices of long-term prostate cancer survivors, particularly regarding diet and exercise. The research aimed to identify the factors influencing these decisions. For many individuals, a cancer diagnosis serves as a catalyst for significant lifestyle changes.
Prostate Cancer Statistics
Prostate cancer ranks as the second most prevalent cancer among men globally, following lung cancer. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, it is the most common cancer diagnosed in men in Canada. Given the number of men affected both in Canada and worldwide, there is increasing interest in lifestyle modifications that may aid in managing prostate cancer.
Guidelines for Survivors
The American Cancer Society Prostate Cancer Survivorship Care Guidelines (ACSSCG) recommend that prostate cancer survivors adopt a healthy diet rich in vegetables and fruits, limit saturated fats, and ensure adequate calcium intake. Additionally, they suggest that survivors engage in 75 minutes of vigorous exercise or 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week. Despite these guidelines, the actual adherence among survivors and the influencing factors remain questionable.
Research Methodology
The New South Wales Prostate Cancer Care and Outcomes Study (PCOS) conducted a 10-year follow-up using a questionnaire that involved 1,634 prostate cancer survivors from New South Wales, Australia. Participants, diagnosed under the age of 70, provided insights into their dietary and exercise habits. They were asked whether they had ever modified their diet and if they were currently using diet or exercise to manage their cancer. The study assessed various socio-demographic, clinical, health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL), and psychological factors that could impact their choices.
Findings on Diet and Exercise Usage
The results revealed that only 11.8% of prostate cancer survivors reported currently using diet modifications, while merely 7.8% engaged in exercise to assist with their prostate cancer management. Factors such as younger age, higher education levels, participation in support groups, and a diagnosis of more aggressive cancer correlated with a greater likelihood of adopting diet and exercise changes. Interestingly, survivors who expressed fear of cancer recurrence were more inclined to modify their diet, while those dissatisfied with their medical treatments were more likely to exercise. Notably, one in four men utilizing exercise indicated that their physician provided information on this.
Response Rate and Limitations
It is important to note that 39% of the participants in the PCOS study did not respond to the 10-year follow-up questionnaire. Additionally, while the examined socio-demographic, clinical, HRQOL, and psychological factors did not directly cause changes in diet and exercise, they may have influenced lifestyle decisions. The potential for recall errors regarding past dietary and exercise changes over the decade was also acknowledged.
The Need for More Education
In this cohort, only one in six long-term prostate cancer survivors were actively using diet, exercise, or both as part of their cancer management strategy. Similar findings have emerged from studies in the U.S. and U.K., suggesting a pressing need for enhanced education on the scientific benefits of a healthy diet and regular physical activity for prostate cancer patients.
References
Hughes S, Egger S, Carle C, Smith DP, Chambers S, Kahn C, et al. (2019) Factors associated with the use of diet and the use of exercise for prostate cancer by long-term survivors. PLOS ONE 14(10):e0223407. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0223407
Bray F, Ferlay J, Soerjomataram I, Siegel RL, Torre LA, Jemal A. Global cancer statistics 2018: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2018 Nov; 68(6):394-424.
“What Is Prostate Cancer? – Canadian Cancer Society”. 2019. Cancer.Ca. https://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-type/prostate/prostate-cancer/?region=on.
Image by Mabel Amber, still incognito… from Pixabay.