Abstract 3432: Dietary modifications of rectal cancer survivors to improve bowel function symptoms

Abstract

Abstract Purpose: Rectal cancer (RC) survivors with and without permanent ostomy have similar bowel function challenges, and seek improvement of symptoms through dietary modifications. Identifying patient-reported dietary modifications among survivors with different surgical reconstructions can guide postoperative supportive care and improve health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Methods: We mailed a survey to long-term (≥5 years post-diagnosis) RC survivors enrolled in Kaiser Permanente (Northern California and Northwest). It included a question eliciting foods that were helpful with bowel function and the bowel symptoms that were impacted. Food types were recoded into broader categories based on food families developed around nutrition and common usage patterns and frequencies of food types and symptoms addressed were compared by sex and surgery type (ostomy vs. anastomosis). Results: Of the 577 RC survivors who responded to the survey, 201 (35%) responded to the question related to foods that helped bowel function. Food groups that most commonly were used were fruits other than prunes (16.3%) and vegetables (15.5%). Water was often used (9.2%). The only specific food that was commonly used was prunes (7.6%). Most foods cited were credited with helping prevent the constellation of symptoms and signs of constipation or bloating, followed by predictability. A few foods (e.g., bananas, bread, rice) were more likely to help with diarrhea. Helpful foods addressing constipation/bloating were more likely cited by women than men (55% vs. 44%, p = .007). Vegetables were more likely cited by anastomosis than ostomy subjects (18% vs. 11%, p = .03). Conclusions: Multiple dietary alterations are attempted by RC survivors. It appears very individualized, although multiple strategies can be suggested to improve bowel function. Through this exploratory analysis, strategies can be developed and tested for RC survivors. Citation Format: Robert S. Krouse, Christopher S. Wendel, Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, Joanna E. Bulkley, Carmit K. McMullen, Marcia Grant, Mark C. Hornbrook, Andrea Altschuler, Virginia Sun, Lisa J. Herrinton. Dietary modifications of rectal cancer survivors to improve bowel function symptoms. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 3432. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-3432