Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Gynecological cancer survivors’ health behaviors and their associations with quality of life

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Cancer Causes & Control Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

To evaluate health behaviors (smoking, physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake) and body mass index of gynecological cancer survivors and their association with quality of life.

Methods

We collected cross-sectional mail survey data from 802 gynecological cancer survivors (56% response rate) The questionnaire included validated measures of health behaviors, quality of life, clinical status, and demographics.

Results

Depending on gynecological cancer subtype, 61–68% were insufficiently active or sedentary, 19–44% were obese, 31–41% had less than two daily serves of fruit, 82–89% had less than five serves of vegetables and 6–21% smoked. Significantly more endometrial than other cancer survivors were obese (44%; 95% CI 41–47%); smoking was more prevalent among cervical cancer survivors (21%; 95% CI 19–23%). Using general linear modeling we identified a positive linear trend of physical activity level with quality of life (p = 0.039). Being insufficiently active or sedentary was also associated with not meeting the guidelines for fruit and vegetable consumption, with smoking and with overweight/obesity.

Conclusions

This research demonstrates the importance of integrating physical activity into follow-up of gynecological cancer survivors. Interventions to improve physical activity and test the causal effect of exercise on quality of life are a future research priority.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ferlay J, Bray F, Pasani P, Parkin D (2004) GLOBOCAN 2002: cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence worldwide. IARC Cancer Base No.5 Version 2.0 ed. IARC Press, Lyon

  2. Jones GL, Ledger W, Bonnett TJ, Radley S, Parkinson N, Kennedy SH (2006) The impact of treatment for gynecological cancer on health-related quality of life (HRQoL): a systematic review. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2006/01//; 194(1 (Electronic)):26–42

    Google Scholar 

  3. Steginga SK, Dunn J (1997) Women’s experiences following treatment for gynecologic cancer. Oncol Nurs Forum 1997/09//; 24(8):1403–1408

  4. Beesley V, Janda M, Eakin E, Obermair A, Battistutta D (2007) Lymphedema after gynecological cancer treatment: prevalence, correlates and supportive care needs. Cancer 109(12):2607–2614

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Youlden D, Baade P, Coory M (2005) Cancer survival in Queensland, 2002. Queensland Health and Queensland Cancer Fund, Brisbane, Queensland

  6. Brenner H, Gondos A, Arndt V (2007) Recent major progress in long-term cancer patient survival disclosed by modeled period analysis. J Clin Oncol 25(22):3274–3280

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Coups EJ, Ostroff JS (2005) A population-based estimate of the prevalence of behavioral risk factors among adult cancer survivors and noncancer controls. Prev Med 40(6):702–711

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Bellizzi KM, Rowland JH, Jeffery DD, McNeel T (2005) Health behaviors of cancer survivors: examining opportunities for cancer control intervention. J Clin Oncol 23(34):8884–8893

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Eakin E, Youlden D, Baade P, Lawler S, Reeve M, Heyworth J et al (2007) Health behaviors of cancer survivors: Data from an Australian population-based survey. Cancer Causes Control 18(8):881–894

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Fitzgerald B (2007) Review: regular exercise improves quality of life and physical fitness in women with breast cancer. Evid Based Nurs 10(1):12

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Rogers LQ, Courneya KS, Robbins KT, Malone J, Seiz A, Koch L et al (2006) Physical activity and quality of life in head and neck cancer survivors. Support Care Cancer 14(10):1012–1019

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Cheema BSB, Gaul CA (2006) Full-body exercise training improves fitness and quality of life in survivors of breast cancer. J Strength Cond Res 20(1):14–21

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Courneya KS, Karvinen KH, Campbell KL, Pearcey RG, Dundas G, Capstick V et al (2005) Associations among exercise, body weight, and quality of life in a population-based sample of endometrial cancer survivors. Gynecol Oncol 97(2):422–430

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Kendall AR, Mahue-Giangreco M, Carpenter CL, Ganz PA, Bernstein L (2005) Influence of exercise activity on quality of life in long-term breast cancer survivors. Qual Life Res 14(2):361–371

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Courneya KS, Friedenreich CM, Quinney HA, Fields ALA, Jones LW, Fairey AS (2003) A randomized trial of exercise and quality of life in colorectal cancer survivors. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) 12(4):347–357

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Duffy SA, Ronis DL, Valenstein M, Fowler KE, Lambert MT, Bishop C et al (2007) Depressive symptoms, smoking, drinking, and quality of life among head and neck cancer patients. Psychosomatics 48(2):142–148

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Duffy SA, Terrell JE, Valenstein M, Ronis DL, Copeland LA, Connors M (2002) Effect of smoking, alcohol, and depression on the quality of life of head and neck cancer patients. Gen Hosp Psychiatry 24(3):140–147

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Jensen K, Jensen AB, Grau C (2007) Smoking has a negative impact upon health related quality of life after treatment for head and neck cancer. Oral Oncol 43(2):187–192

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Garces YI, Yang P, Parkinson J, Zhao X, Wampfler JA, Ebbert JO et al (2004) The relationship between cigarette smoking and quality of life after lung cancer diagnosis. Chest 126(6):1733–1741

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Blanchard CM, Stein KD, Baker F, Dent MF, Denniston MM, Courneya KS et al (2004) Association between current lifestyle behaviors and health-related quality of life in breast, colorectal, and prostate cancer survivors. Psychol Health 19(1):1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Stevinson C, Faught W, Steed H, Tonkin K, Ladha A, Vallance J et al (2007) Associations between physical activity and quality of life in ovarian cancer survivors. Gynecol Oncol 106(1):244–250

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Courneya KS, Friedenreich CM (1999) Physical exercise and quality of life following cancer diagnosis: a literature review. Ann Behav Med 21(2):171–179 Spring

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Lynch BM, Cerin E, Owen N, Aitken JF (2007) Associations of leisure-time physical activity with quality of life in a large, population-based sample of colorectal cancer survivors. Cancer Causes Control 18(7):735–42

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Wayne SJ, Baumgartner K, Baumgartner RN, Bernstein L, Bowen DJ, Ballard-Barbash R (2006) Diet quality is directly associated with quality of life in breast cancer survivors. Breast Cancer Res Treat 96(3):227–232

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Ravasco P, Monteiro-Grillo I, Vidal PM, Camilo ME (2004) Cancer: disease and nutrition are key determinants of patients’ quality of life. Support Care Cancer 12(4):246–252

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Meyerhardt JA, Heseltine D, Niedzwiecki D, Hollis D, Saltz LB, Mayer RJ et al (2006) Impact of physical activity on cancer recurrence and survival in patients with stage III colon cancer: findings from CALGB 89803. J Clin Oncol 24(22):3535–3541

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Holmes MD, Chen WY, Feskanich D, Kroenke CH, Colditz GA (2005) Physical activity and survival after breast cancer diagnosis. JAMA 293(20):2479–2486

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Pierce JP, Stefanick ML, Flatt SW, Natarajan L, Sternfeld B, Madlensky L et al (2007) Greater survival after breast cancer in physically active women with high vegetable–fruit intake regardless of obesity. J Clin Oncol 25(17):2345–2351

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Brown JK, Byers T, Doyle C, Coumeya KS, Demark-Wahnefried W, Kushi LH et al (2003) Nutrition and physical activity during and after cancer treatment: an American Cancer Society guide for informed choices. CA: a cancer journal for clinicians. 2003/09//2003 Sep–Oct; 53(5):268–291

  30. Demark-Wahnefried W, Aziz NM, Rowland JH, Pinto BM (2005) Riding the crest of the teachable moment: promoting long-term health after the diagnosis of cancer. J Clin Oncol 2005/08/20/; 23(24 (Print)):5814–5830

    Google Scholar 

  31. Demark-Wahnefried W, Pinto BM, Gritz ER (2006) Promoting health and physical function among cancer survivors: potential for prevention and questions that remain. J Clin Oncol 24(32):5125–5131

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Cashel K, Jeffreson S (1995) The core food groups. Canberra: Endorsed by the National Health and Medical Research Council

  33. Department of Health and Aged Care (1999) National Physical Activity Guidelines for Australians. Canberra

  34. Australian Institute of Health, Welfare (2003) The active Australia survey: a guide and manual for implementation, analysis and reporting. AIHW, Canberra

    Google Scholar 

  35. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006) National health survey: summary of results. ABS, Canberra

    Google Scholar 

  36. Cella DF, Tulsky DS, Gray G, Sarafian B, Linn E, Bonomi A et al (1993) The functional assessment of cancer therapy scale: development and validation of the general measure. J Clin Oncol 11(3):570–579

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. FACIT (2004) Functional assessment of chronic illness therapy: effect size and clinically meaningful change. Cited; available from: http://www.facit.org/validity/validation_change.aspx

  38. Yost KJ, Cella D, Chawla A, Holmgren E, Eton DT, Ayanian JZ et al (2005) Minimally important differences were estimated for the functional assessment of cancer therapy-colorectal (FACT-C) instrument using a combination of distribution- and anchor-based approaches. J Clin Epidemiol 58(12):1241–1251

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. DiSipio T, Rogers C, Newman B, Whiteman D, Eakin E, Fritschi L et al (2006) The Queensland cancer risk study: behavioural risk factor results. Aust N Z J Public Health 30(4):375–382

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Jones LW, Courneya KS, Fairey AS, Mackey JR (2004) Effects of an oncologist’s recommendation to exercise on self-reported exercise behavior in newly diagnosed breast cancer survivors: a single-blind, randomized controlled trial. Ann Behav Med 28(2):105–113

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the Cancer Council Queensland and Queensland University of Technology. It was also made possible by access to participants via the Queensland Gynaecological Cancer Registry at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Public Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Vanessa L. Beesley, Monika Janda & Diana Battistutta

  2. Cancer and Population Studies Group, Queensland Institute of Medical Research, PO Royal Brisbane Hospital, Herston, QLD, 4029, Australia

    Vanessa L. Beesley

  3. Cancer Prevention Research Centre, School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Elizabeth G. Eakin

Authors
  1. Vanessa L. Beesley
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Elizabeth G. Eakin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Monika Janda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Diana Battistutta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vanessa L. Beesley.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Beesley, V.L., Eakin, E.G., Janda, M. et al. Gynecological cancer survivors’ health behaviors and their associations with quality of life. Cancer Causes Control 19, 775–782 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-008-9140-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-008-9140-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation