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Exploring health behaviors and the feasibility of a lifestyle intervention for patients with multiple myeloma

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Abstract

Purpose

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematologic malignancy in the USA, with higher rates observed in older adults and African Americans (AA). Survivors experience fatigue, bone pain, reduced functioning, and obesity, highlighting the value of developing lifestyle interventions for this diverse group. This study explores lifestyle behaviors and supportive care needs to inform future programs tailored to the MM community.

Methods

MM survivors, ≥ 100 days post autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) with a BMI ≥ 20 kg/m2, were recruited from two university hospitals. Diet, physical activity, and quality of life (QOL) were measured using validated measures. Qualitative interviews gathered information on survivorship needs and interests related to supportive interventions. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics; qualitative data were analyzed using deductive strategies.

Results

Seveny-two MM survivors participated (65% white, 35% black). Participants were 62.5 ± 15.8 years of age. Fifty percent were classified as obese and 65% were insufficiently active. Participants reported diets high in added sugars and saturated fats. QOL measures indicated clinically significant challenges in physical and sexual function. Most (87%) were interested in a lifestyle program. Predominant themes regarding survivors’ desires for a lifestyle program included social support, guided exercise, meal preparation support, and disease management information.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the need for and interest in lifestyle change support among a racially diverse sample of MM survivors. Interventions that are group-based, target knowledge gaps, social connections, accountability, and provide structured framework with professional instruction will best address the needs of this survivor population.

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Acknowledgements

Sincere gratitude to the participating patients.

Funding

This study was funded by the Medical College of Wisconsin Clinical Translational Science Institute Multiple Myeloma Ensemble Group, Ann E Heil Endowment for Cancer Research, and the HealthEq Collaborative, Loyola University Chicago (PI: Sheean).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer Center and Department of Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA

    Allen Hodge, Abigail Kerschner, Alexis Williams, Kathleen Jensik, Anita D’Souza, Parameswaran Hari, Binod Dhakal, Saurabh Chhabra, Kathryn E. Flynn & Melinda Stolley

  2. Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health, Loyola University Chicago, 2160 S. First Avenue, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA

    Patricia Sheean, Paula O’Connor & Kiley Tyler

  3. Institute of Health and Equity, Division of Biostatistics, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI, 53226, USA

    Alexis Visotcky

  4. Cardinal Bernadin Cancer Center and Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Loyola University Medical Center, 2160 S. First Avenue, Maywood, IL, 60153, USA

    Patrick Hagen

Authors
  1. Allen Hodge
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  2. Patricia Sheean
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  15. Melinda Stolley
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception, design, and/or funding acquisition. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were specifically performed by Allen Hodge, Patricia Sheean, Paula O’Connor, Kiley Tyler, Abby Kerschner, Alexis Williams, Kathleen Jensik, Alexis Visotcky, and Melinda Stolley. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Allen Hodge, Patricia Sheean, Abby Kerschner, and Melinda Stolley. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Allen Hodge.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. The study was approved by the Bioethics Committee of the Medical College of Wisconsin and Loyola University Chicago.

Consent to participate

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

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Hodge, A., Sheean, P., O’Connor, P. et al. Exploring health behaviors and the feasibility of a lifestyle intervention for patients with multiple myeloma. Support Care Cancer 30, 9771–9779 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-022-07385-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-022-07385-9

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