Physical Activity and Cancer: Body Image and Overall Quality of Life

Question 1

What is body image?

Answer 1

How someone perceives or sees themselves (subjective to your own thoughts)

Question 2

What can help body image in general populations?

Answer 2

Exercise

Question 3

Could PA improve body image in cancer populations?

Answer 3

Cancer pops have differen body image issues, may help some body image concerns, for example: weight gain
Not as helpful with hair loss or scarring body image concerns

Question 4

What body image issues can arise from surgery?

Answer 4

• Surgical scars
• Removal of body part
• Lymphedema

Question 5

What body image issues can arise from radiation?

Answer 5

• Discolouration
• Dermatitis (skin inflammation)

Question 6

What body image issues can arise from chemotherapy?

Answer 6

• Hair loss/thinning
• Weight gain

Question 7

What body image issues can arise from hormone therapy?

Answer 7

• Early menopause
• Weight gain

Question 8

What can body image issues lead to?

Answer 8

• Anxiety
• Sexual/intimacy concerns
• Increased risk of mortality

Question 9

What percent of breast cancer survivors have body image concerns? is there any improvement?

Answer 9

77% with little improvement in the 5 years following treatment

Question 10

How can exercise improve body image?

Answer 10

• Slimming and toning (physical changes in the body)
• Focus on what the body can do when perception that ‘body has let me down’

Question 11

What is Quality of life? - Webster’s New World Medical Dictionary

Answer 11

“refers to the patient’s ability to enjoy normal life activities”

Question 12

What are the 5 domains of Quality of life? (ways to examine QofL) Give an example for each domain

Answer 12

• Physical (pain, nausea)
• Functional (ability to dress, or work)
• Emotional (depression, anxiety)
• Social (relationships with others - friends, marriage)
• Spiritual (views on spirituality, faith)

Question 13

When is Physical Well-being the worst for cancer survivors?

Answer 13

Worst during treatments, but improves after

Question 14

What are some lasting physical well-being effects?

Answer 14

• Chronic diarrhea
• Swallowing difficulty

Question 15

When is functional well-being the worst? How long can this last?

Answer 15

Worst during treatment, some issues can last years into survivorship

Question 16

Examples of functional well-being side effects?

Answer 16

• Fatigue
• Loss of function due to surgery/adjuvant treatment

Question 17

Examples of emotional well-being effects?

Answer 17

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Guilt
• Grief
• Anger

Question 18

What is Post-Traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD)?

Answer 18

An emotional well-being effect that is on the severe side and on-going reaction to psychological trauma

Question 19

Examples of side effects in individuals with PTSD?

Answer 19

• Nightmares
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Loss of appetite
• irritability

Question 20

What is social well-being?

Answer 20

Relationships between family and friends

Question 21

How can cancer effect social well-being?

Answer 21

Puts strain on relationships

Question 22

What types of relationships are at risk in individuals with cancer?

Answer 22

• Spousal relationships
• Parent - child
• Friendships

Question 23

What happens to spiritual well-being in cancer survivors?

Answer 23

• Question faith (why did this happen to me?)
• Some people become more spiritual as a result of cancer

Question 24

How is Quality of life assessed?

Answer 24

By paper and pencil, questionnaire

Question 25

What are some commonly used QofL assessments?

Answer 25

- Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Scale (Cella,1993) - European Organization of Research and Treatment Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Scale (Bjordal & Kaasa, 1992) - FACT Scales (done for lung, breast cancers) = common

Question 26

Do exercise therapies improve health related quality of life? if so what specific dimensions?

Answer 26

Yes, Significant improvement, especially to: - Social - Mental - Emotional - Physical functioning

Question 27

What research was done to assess Quality of Life in Pediactric cancer survivors?

Answer 27

Quality of Life and PA in 30 pediatric cancer survivors during hospitilization - Cross-over design = more ethical - 3 sessions, 30 mins each adapted PA

Question 28

What were the results of the pediatric quality of life part of the study?

Answer 28

Significant improvements in Health related quality of life: - Physical well-being - Social well-being - Self-esteem - Mental health

Question 29

How does exercise improve quality of life? What specifically is improved?

Answer 29

Physical and Function well-being specifically by: - Improving fitness - Improving strength - Improvements in mood