Health-related quality of life is associated with physical activity levels among colorectal cancer survivors: a longitudinal, 3-year study of the PROFILES registry

Abstract

Our results underline the importance to focus upon training in survivorship care and strategies to get inactive cancer survivors physically active.

Physical activity and quality of life after colorectal cancer: overview of evidence and future directions

“…In particular, some studies have found significant associations with social functioning, [32,33,36] while others did not. [39,43] In addition, most studies did not demonstrate an association with emotional functioning/mental health, [32,36,37,39,43] but one prospective study found an inter-individual effect of meeting MVPA guidelines with better emotional functioning [33] and two crosssectional studies reported a significant association of higher MVPA levels with lower distress [29] and lower anxiety symptoms. [42] These differences may be caused by differences across study populations (e.g., by age and time since diagnosis), or by differences in methods of assessing social and emotional functioning (which may be more subjective than physical functioning scales).…”

“…[41] As physical activity guidelines around the world have typically focused on MVPA, most studies have examined time spent in MVPA per week, or adherence to MVPA guidelines (achieving 150 min/week; yes/no). [29,[32][33][34][35][36]38,39,[41][42][43] Some studies examined total physical activity (incorporating all intensities), [35,37] light physical activity [35,43] or specific types of physical activity (e.g., exercise [30,31,37] and/or recreational activities). [37,40] A variety of quality of life outcomes have been assessed across different studies, including overall/global quality of life (general health), [30][31][32][33][36][37][38][39][40][41]43] physical functioning, [29][30][31][32][33][35][36][37]39,43] role functioning, [32,33,36,43]…”

“…Two studies that have been conducted in Dutch colorectal cancer survivors found a much higher percentage adherence to MVPA guidelines ranging from 71 to 82%. [33,43] Accelerometer data collected from Australian and Canadian colorectal cancer survivors demonstrated that 53% of study participants accrued at least 150 min/ week in MVPA (this estimate included all time spent at that intensity; a smaller proportion [16%] met this threshold when only MVPA accrued in bouts of 10 min or more was included). [41] These differences are likely due to differences in the instruments applied to measure physical activity (e.g., questionnaire applied, and activities included in the questionnaire), as well as differences between study populations that may influence physical activity levels.…”

“…Vallance et al found that colon cancer survivors who accrued greater volumes of MVPA reported better overall quality of life and satisfaction with life, [42] and decreased colorectal cancer-specific concerns, fatigue and anxiety symptoms. [41,42] Importantly, two large prospective studies in Australian (6-24 months post-diagnosis) and Dutch colorectal cancer survivors (average 5 months post-diagnosis) have found that increases in self-reported MVPA levels were associated with increases in overall quality of life, [33,38] physical functioning, [33] and role functioning, [33] and reductions in fatigue levels. [34] Another prospective study in US colorectal cancer survivors found that increasing total physical activity in the period from diagnosis to 2 years afterwards was associated with better overall quality of life and physical functioning.…”

Cancer prevention and control: alarming challenges in China

“…Obesity is associated with a higher risk of developing cancers, such as colon, esophageal, breast, renal, gallbladder, thyroid, and endometrial [119]. Physical activity has also been associated with a decreased risk of colon cancer and longer survival [120–122]. The development of diabetes or pre-diabetes has also increased dramatically in China [123].…”