Exercise with Nutrition Education to Improve Quality of Life of Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Survivors: A Pilot Study.

Purpose: Most evidence for the relationship between physical activity, nutrition education, and late effects from cancer treatment come from cross-sectional studies. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if 8 weeks of exercise and nutrition education in adolescent and young adult (AYA) survivors positively affects fatigue, quality of life, health-related fitness, and dietary intake. Methods: The exercise program targeted improvement in multiple areas of health-related fitness. A Registered Dietitian conducted nutrition education sessions with goal setting. To encourage activity, social engagement, and support, participants connected to a study-specific group. Fatigue and QoL (FACIT, PedsQL Teen, and Young Adult), health-related fitness (cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, muscular strength and endurance, anthropometrics), nutrition knowledge, and dietary intake assessments were conducted at weeks 1 and 10. Participant perceptions of strengths and weaknesses within the program were assessed after program completion. Results: Twenty four (16.6 ± 2.8 years) AYA cancer survivors began and completed the program. Problems with fatigue (PedsQL Teen and Young Adult) significantly improved along with decreased perceived barriers to exercise. Participants significantly improved cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, and muscular strength and endurance. Trying to make healthy nutrition choices, understanding how to read nutrition labels, and identifying a saturated fat significantly improved without a significant change in dietary intake. Participants' favorite program components related to exercise and social support. Conclusion: In view of the short- and long-term impacts of cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship, as well as the benefits of physical activity on these factors, exercise programs with social support should be considered adjuvant therapy among AYA cancer survivors.

Physical Activity Before, During, and After Chemotherapy for High-Risk Breast Cancer: Relationships With Survival.

BACKGROUND: Although physical activity has been consistently associated with reduced breast cancer mortality, evidence is largely based on data collected at one occasion. We examined how pre- and postdiagnosis physical activity was associated with survival outcomes in high-risk breast cancer patients. METHODS: Included were 1340 patients enrolled in the Diet, Exercise, Lifestyle and Cancer Prognosis (DELCaP) Study, a prospective study of lifestyle and prognosis ancillary to a SWOG clinical trial (S0221). Activity before diagnosis, during treatment, and at 1- and 2-year intervals after enrollment was collected. Patients were categorized according to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans as meeting the minimum guidelines (yes/no) and incrementally as inactive, low active, moderately active (meeting the guidelines), or high active. RESULTS: In joint-exposure analyses, patients meeting the guidelines before and 1 year after diagnosis experienced statistically significant reductions in hazards of recurrence (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.42 to 0.82) and mortality (HR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.34-0.77); associations were stronger at 2-year follow-up for recurrence (HR = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.31 to 0.65) and mortality (HR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.19 to 0.52). In time-dependent analyses, factoring in activity from all time points, we observed striking associations with mortality for low- (HR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.24 to 0.68), moderate- (HR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.23 to 0.76), and high-active patients (HR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.18 to 0.53). CONCLUSIONS: Meeting the minimum guidelines for physical activity both before diagnosis and after treatment appears to be associated with statistically significantly reduced hazards of recurrence and mortality among breast cancer patients. When considering activity from all time points, including during treatment, lower volumes of regular activity were associated with similar overall survival advantages as meeting and exceeding the guidelines.

Changes in vitamin D supplement use and baseline plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration predict 5-y change in concentration in postmenopausal women.

Few studies have prospectively examined predictors of change in plasma concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]. We sought to determine the predictors of 5-y change in 25(OH)D. Plasma 25(OH)D concentrations were assessed at baseline (1997-2000) and 5 y later (2002-2005) in 668 postmenopausal women enrolled in the Osteoporosis and Periodontal Disease Study. Baseline and changes in demographic, dietary, lifestyle, and health-related factors were tested as predictors of change in 25(OH)D concentrations by using multivariable linear regression. The mean 5-y change in 25(OH)D (mean ± SD) was 7.7 ± 0.7 nmol/L (P < 0.001). In our predictive model (n = 643), predictors explained 31% of the variance in change in 25(OH)D concentrations and included baseline 25(OH)D, baseline and change in vitamin D supplementation and physical activity, change in season of blood draw, BMI, whole-body T score, and baseline hormone therapy use. Baseline 25(OH)D and change in vitamin D supplementation explained the most variation (25%) in 25(OH)D. Exploratory analyses showed a borderline significant interaction between tertiles of baseline 25(OH)D and change in vitamin D supplementation over time (P = 0.06). The greatest mean increase in 25(OH)D (22.9 ± 16.8 nmol/L), with adjustment for other statistically significant predictors, occurred in women whose baseline 25(OH)D concentration was ≤51.0 nmol/L (tertile 1) and who increased supplementation use over time. These results confirm the importance of supplementation in increasing 25(OH)D concentrations in aging women, even after other statistically significant predictors are controlled for. These data also suggest that this is especially true among aging women with inadequate 25(OH)D (e.g., <50 nmol/L).

Comparison of the prevalence of malnutrition diagnosis in head and neck, gastrointestinal, and lung cancer patients by 3 classification methods.

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is prevalent among patients within certain cancer types. There is lack of universal standard of care for nutrition screening and a lack of agreement on an operational definition and on validity of malnutrition indicators. OBJECTIVE: In a secondary data analysis, we investigated prevalence of malnutrition diagnosis with 3 classification methods using data from medical records of a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. METHODS: Records of 227 patients hospitalized during 1998 with head and neck, gastrointestinal, or lung cancer were reviewed for malnutrition based on 3 methods: (1) physician-diagnosed malnutrition-related International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes; (2) in-hospital nutritional assessment summaries conducted by registered dietitians; and (3) body mass indexes (BMIs). For patients with multiple admissions, only data from the first hospitalization were included. RESULTS: Prevalence of malnutrition diagnosis ranged from 8.8% based on BMI to approximately 26% of all cases based on dietitian assessment. κ coefficients between any methods indicated a weak (κ = 0.23, BMI and dietitians; and κ = 0.28, dietitians and physicians)-to-fair strength of agreement (κ = 0.38, BMI and physicians). CONCLUSIONS: Available methods to identify patients with malnutrition in a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center resulted in varied prevalence of malnutrition diagnosis. A universal standard of care for nutrition screening that uses validated tools is needed. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations requires nutritional screening of patients within 24 hours of admission. For this purpose, implementation of a validated tool that can be used by various healthcare practitioners, including nurses, needs to be considered.

Nutritional symptom and body composition outcomes of aerobic exercise in women with breast cancer.

The purpose of this secondary analysis was to examine the nutritional symptoms and body composition outcomes of aerobic exercise in women with breast cancer. A single-blind clinical trial, randomized to tailored Pro-Self(©) exercise during and after chemotherapy, after chemotherapy only, or no Pro-Self (usual care). One hundred women, average age 49.9 years (SD = 9.6), participated. Mild taste changes, nausea, constipation, and anorexia were experienced by 47% to 55% at baseline and end of treatment but diminished post treatment. No group differences were found in total nutritional symptoms or symptom severity. Intervention group participants maintained lean body mass; control group participants had nonsignificant lean body mass loss. Issues related to self-report, protocol adherence, and generalizability limit findings. Aerobic exercise is useful in achieving healthy weight and body composition, but the intensity and duration achieved during cancer treatment and recovery did not produce significant changes.

Resistance training with soy vs whey protein supplements in hyperlipidemic males.

BACKGROUND: Most individuals at risk for developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) can reduce risk factors through diet and exercise before resorting to drug treatment. The effect of a combination of resistance training with vegetable-based (soy) versus animal-based (whey) protein supplementation on CVD risk reduction has received little study. The study's purpose was to examine the effects of 12 weeks of resistance exercise training with soy versus whey protein supplementation on strength gains, body composition and serum lipid changes in overweight, hyperlipidemic men. METHODS: Twenty-eight overweight, male subjects (BMI 25-30) with serum cholesterol >200 mg/dl were randomly divided into 3 groups (placebo (n = 9), and soy (n = 9) or whey (n = 10) supplementation) and participated in supervised resistance training for 12 weeks. Supplements were provided in a double blind fashion. RESULTS: All 3 groups had significant gains in strength, averaging 47% in all major muscle groups and significant increases in fat free mass (2.6%), with no difference among groups. Percent body fat and waist-to-hip ratio decreased significantly in all 3 groups an average of 8% and 2%, respectively, with no difference among groups. Total serum cholesterol decreased significantly, again with no difference among groups. CONCLUSION: Participation in a 12 week resistance exercise training program significantly increased strength and improved both body composition and serum cholesterol in overweight, hypercholesterolemic men with no added benefit from protein supplementation.