Abstract
The role of a healthy diet in cancer prevention is well recognized. Recent data indicate that following the same advices can also improve cancer survivors’ quality of life. Breast cancer (BC) patients are commonly concerned about diet and nutrition and frequently express the need to obtain health-related information and the will to change their diet and lifestyle. Hence, be aware of survivors’ dietary changes and information needs is crucial for healthcare professionals to guide them toward optimal lifestyle choices. In order to investigate eating habits changes in a BC survivors’ population, we conceived the cross-sectional multicentric study ECHO (Eating habits CHanges in Oncologic patients) Survey. Data were collected from 684 patients, diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, in order to investigate their changes in food consumption, use of supplements, or the beginning of a specific diet, after BC diagnosis. We also examined the sources of information used and if any modification in their diets was reported to the oncologist. We primarily observed that patients increased their consumption of vegetables, pulses, nuts, fruits, wholemeal bread/pasta, grains and fish; while decreasing red and processed meat, refined bread/pasta, baked good and animal fat consumption. Survivors also reported the use of dietary supplements, mainly vitamins, aimed at counteracting therapies’ side effects. Changes in nutritional habits were often adopted without asking or informing the oncologist. Despite BC survivors made some positive changes in their nutritional habits, those modifications were mostly pursued by less than half of them, while the majority of patients consumed nutritional supplements after diagnosis. These results, as well as the failure to communicate with the physicians, reinforce the need to both improve the patient-healthcare professional relationship and to develop tailored nutrition counselling and intervention programs for cancer survivors.
Highlights
The term “cancer survivor” refers to a person who has been diagnosed with cancer, regardless of the course of the disease
According to Globocan 2020, more than 50 million people worldwide are living within 5 years of a past cancer diagnosis (5-year prevalence): breast cancer (BC) patients represent a relevant part of this survivors group, with an incidence and a 5-year prevalence rate of 11.7% and 15.4%, respectively [3]
We have previously described that many cancer survivors are willing to change their eating habits: in particular, from 30% to 60% of BC patients are highly motivated to modify their diet [29]
Summary
The term “cancer survivor” refers to a person who has been diagnosed with cancer, regardless of the course of the disease (before, during or after treatment). In 2020, the global cancer burden has risen to around 19.3 million cases worldwide and this number is projected to increase to about 30.2 million, in 2040 [3]. According to Globocan 2020, more than 50 million people worldwide are living within 5 years of a past cancer diagnosis (5-year prevalence): breast cancer (BC) patients represent a relevant part of this survivors group, with an incidence and a 5-year prevalence rate of 11.7% and 15.4%, respectively [3]. In 2020, 3.6 million people, corresponding to 6% of the total population, were estimated to live in Italy after a cancer diagnosis, a number which has risen by 36% in the past 10 years [4]. Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer, accounting for 14.6% of all new cancer diagnoses and recording the highest incidence among Italian women (30.3%) [4]
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