Quality of life in Tunisian colorectal cancer patients: a cross-sectional study

Social determinants of health, diet, and symptom experiences in colorectal cancer survivors: A scoping review

PURPOSE

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States, and many colorectal cancer survivors often experience various symptoms significantly influenced by diet. Although it is known that social determinants of health can lead to notable inequities that affect lifestyle and quality of life, limited studies have examined the interplay of social determinants of health and diet on symptom experiences in this population. This scoping review aimed to explore relationships among social determinants of health, diet, and symptom experiences in colorectal cancer survivors.

METHODS

This study adhered to the Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review methodology, following the framework established by Arksey and O'Malley. Five databases were searched on September 22, 2023, and updated on April 2, 2024, including Medline, CINAHL, Embase, Web of Science, and APA PsycINFO. The review was performed using the PCC (Population, Concept, Context) format to examine symptom experiences in the context of social determinants of health and diet among colorectal cancer survivors.

RESULT

A total of 21 articles were included. Reported symptoms included gastrointestinal, chemotherapy-related, physical, and psychological symptoms. Social determinants of health at the individual level (age, gender, race/ethnicity, marital status, education, income) and relationship level (social support needs) were identified as influencing symptom experiences. Dietary choices and intake also impacted symptom experiences.

CONCLUSION/IMPLICATION

Significant associations exist between social determinants of health, diet, and symptom experiences in colorectal cancer survivors. Further exploration into how these factors influence symptom experiences is necessary to inform future tailored interventions to better support this population.

Effect of Nutritional Intervention on Chemotherapy Tolerance and Quality of Life in Patients with Colorectal Cancer Undergoing Postoperative Chemotherapy: A Randomized Controlled Study

This study explored the effect of symptom-based individualized nutritional intervention on chemotherapy tolerance and quality of life (QOL) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) undergoing postoperative chemotherapy. Postoperative patients with CRC (n = 88) were randomly assigned to the control group (CG, n = 45) and intervention group (IG, n = 43) receiving conventional diet counseling and symptom-based individualized nutritional intervention, respectively, and chemotherapy tolerance, adverse effects, and QOL were compared. Participants in the IG exhibited better nutritional status at the last chemotherapy cycle, with lower Nutrition Risk Screening 2002 (2.37 ± 0.65 vs. 3.78 ± 0.65, p < 0.01) and Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (6.26 ± 0.76 vs. 7.78 ± 0.70, p < 0.01) scores. Compared with CG, relative dose intensity reduction (9.3% vs. 25.89%, p = 0.02), chemotherapy regimen change (25.58% vs. 53.33%, p < 0.01), and chemotherapy delay (13.95% vs. 35.56%, p = 0.019) were lower in the IG. Nausea/vomiting (2.33% vs. 17.78%, p = 0.017), thrombocytopenia (2.33% vs. 28.89%, p < 0.01), and hand-foot syndrome (4.65% vs. 22.22%, p = 0.03) were less frequent in the IG. Participants in the IG had better QOL, with higher physical function scores at cycles 4 (67.91 ± 5.22 vs. 62.22 ± 4.02, p < 0.01) and 8 (72.71 ± 6.31 vs. 57.63 ± 4.75, p < 0.01). Individualized nutritional interventions improved chemotherapy tolerance and QOL and reduced adverse effects in this patient cohort.

The relationship between physical activity, self-efficacy and quality of life in colorectal cancer survivors: a multicenter cross-sectional study

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate the current situation and factors influencing physical activity, self-efficacy, and quality of life in Chinese colorectal cancer survivors. Additionally, this study explored the associations between physical activity, self-efficacy, and quality of life.

METHODS

A multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted, involving 173 colorectal cancer survivors with a mean age of 59 years. Self-reported data on basic demographic characteristics, physical activity, self-efficacy, and quality of life were collected.

RESULTS

Among 173 colorectal cancer survivors, 90 (52.0%) were engaged in manual work. The self-efficacy score was found to be 25.99 ± 7.10, while the global health status score was 54.96 ± 21.56. Global health status was associated with sex, residence, chemoradiotherapy, and monthly income (p < 0.01). The self-efficacy score exhibited a significant positive correlation with quality of life, while demonstrating a negative correlation with symptom scores (p < 0.01). Recreational PA scores were positively associated with global health status (P < 0.05). Self-efficacy, recreational physical activity during winter, and whether the participants underwent chemoradiotherapy explained 29.3% of the variance in quality of life among colorectal cancer survivors.

CONCLUSIONS

Colorectal cancer survivors exhibited low levels of physical activity, self-efficacy, and quality of life. Their health is influenced by self-efficacy, recreational physical activity, and chemoradiotherapy. When developing intervention plans for colorectal cancer survivorship, it is crucial to consider survivors' self-efficacy and the type of physical activity in which they engage.