Abstract
Improvements in Clinical Oncology, due to earlier diagnoses and more efficient therapeutic strategies, have led to increased numbers of long-term survivors, albeit many with chronic diseases. Dealing with the complex care needs of these survivors is now an important part of Medical Oncology. Suitable diet and physical activity regimes will be important in maintaining their health. This paper will review what we know and what we can do in the near future for these patients.
Highlights
Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics Unit, Fondazione IRCCS, Policlinico San Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy; Medical Oncology, Department of Oncology and Hematology, AUSL Romagna, 48100 Ravenna, Italy; Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Therapy, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
Study tested the effect of a diet low in fat and very rich in vegetables, fruit and fiber, on cancer outcomes in 3088 pre and postmenopausal women considered to be cured of breast cancer, and who were followed for an average of 7.3 years
Basal serum estrogen levels were independently associated with poor prognosis and the protective effect of the diet was observed in the subgroup of women who reported no hot flushes at enrolment or higher estrogen levels [20]. These results suggest that a diet rich in vegetables, fruits and fiber affects the hormonal state and the prognosis
Summary
Due to improved screening programs and therapeutic advances, long-term survival is increasingly common in patients diagnosed with cancer [1,2]. The risk of death from a specific cancer is highest in the initial years after diagnosis and tends to decrease progressively thereafter. In some cases, it becomes negligible and such patients reach a life expectancy that corresponds to that of the general population of the same age and gender [4,5]. Five-year survival is over 95% for thyroid and testicular cancers among adult Italian patients For patients with these types of cancers, 10-year survival reached approximately 90% [9] during the period 2000–2004, suggesting a very good prognosis and a similar long-term life expectancy to that of the sex- and age-matched general population. At present the word “cured” cannot be used for all types of cancer, because cancer is a highly heterogeneous group of diseases with varying biological characteristics, clinical expressions, natural history, response to treatment and outcomes
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