Change in physical activity and quality of life in endometrial cancer survivors receiving a physical activity intervention.

Michael C Robertson, Elizabeth J Lyons, Jaejoon Song, Matthew Cox-Martin, Yisheng Li, Charles E Green, Bernardine M Pinto, Cindy L Carmack, Carol Harrison, George Baum, Karen M Basen-Engquist

Journal: Health and quality of life outcomes 2019;17(1):91

PMID: 31133040

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Plain Language Summary

Endometrial cancer survivors suffer from high rates of obesity and physical activity-related co-morbidities that are related to cancer-specific and overall mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate how change in physical activity over time related to change in multiple, specific measures of quality of life for endometrial cancer survivors receiving a physical activity intervention. This study was a one-group, pre-post design which recruited 100 women diagnosed with stage I, II, or IIIa endometrial cancer. Each participant received a customized exercise prescription that was based on the results of baseline fitness tests. Results indicate change in physical activity was positively associated with change in SF-36 (Short Form Health Survey) subscale scores for role limitations due to physical health and general health. Furthermore, change in physical activity was negatively associated with change in pain and somatic distress. Authors conclude that increasing physical activity was positively associated with improvements in role limitation due to physical health, general health, pain, and somatic distress.

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Endometrial cancer survivors are at an increased risk of poor quality of life outcomes. Physical activity is positively associated with general quality of life in this population, however, little is known about how changes in physical activity may be associated with changes in specific aspects of quality of life. The aim of this secondary data analysis was to explore the relationships between change in physical activity and change in physical, mental, social, and other aspects of quality of life in endometrial cancer survivors receiving a physical activity intervention.

METHODS

Endometrial cancer survivors (N = 100) participated in a telephone-based physical activity intervention for six months. At baseline and post-intervention we measured physical activity via accelerometry and ecological momentary assessment, and quality of life via the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), the Quality of Life of Adult Cancer Survivors instrument, the Brief Symptom Inventory, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Perceived Stress Scale. We conducted structural equation modeling path analyses to investigate how physical activity post-intervention was associated with the quality of life measures' subscales post-intervention, adjusting for baseline levels and potentially confounding covariates.

RESULTS

Increasing physical activity was positively associated with improvements in general health (p = .044), role limitation due to physical health (p = .005), pain (p = .041), and somatic distress (p = .023). There was no evidence to indicate that change in physical activity was associated with change in other aspects of quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS

Endometrial cancer survivors are at higher risk for suffering from challenges to physical quality of life, and findings from this study suggest that increasing physical activity may alleviate some of these problems. Further research is needed to determine whether other aspects of quality of life are linked to change in physical activity.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Trial registration number: NCT00501761 Name of registry: clinicaltrials.gov Date of registration: July 16, 2007. Date of enrollment: June 16, 2005.

Address: Center for Energy Balance, Department of Behavioral Science, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Cancer Prevention Building, Unit 1330, 1155 Pressler St, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.; Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas School of Public Health, 1200 Pressler Street, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.; Department of Nutrition and Metabolism, School of Health Professions, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX, 77555-1124, USA.; Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Pickens Academic Tower, 1400 Pressler St, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.; Adult and Child Consortium for Health Outcomes Research and Delivery Science, University of Colorado at Denver-Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.; Department of Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, 6431 Fannin St, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.; College of Nursing, University of South Carolina, 1601 Greene Street, Room 302B, Columbia, SC, 29208-4001, USA.; Department of Palliative Care, Rehabilitation, and Integrative Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Cancer Prevention Building, Unit 1330, 1155 Pressler St, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.; Center for Energy Balance, Department of Behavioral Science, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Cancer Prevention Building, Unit 1330, 1155 Pressler St, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. [email protected].

DOI: 10.1186/s12955-019-1154-5