Lifestyle prescriptions for cancer survivors and their communities

J Intern Med. 2011 Jan;269(1):88-93. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2796.2010.02273.x. Epub 2010 Sep 24.

Abstract

Current cancer care focuses on procuring the most up-to-date therapy to prevent cancer death. However, the majority of cancer survivors will not die from cancer but from cardiovascular disease.A cancer diagnosis presents a 'teachable moment' for lifestyle behavior change.Changes in key behavioral risk factors reduce cardiovascular risk; yet, this potential for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease among cancer survivors is often overlooked.Evidence now exists for both individual clinic-based approaches and complementary community-based strategies to induce successful behavior change.We propose a systematic re-alignment of clinical and research focus to complement cancer surveillance and adjuvant treatments with key patient-and community-based strategies to improve lifestyles in cancer survivors [added].

MeSH terms

  • Cardiovascular Diseases / etiology
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / prevention & control
  • Evidence-Based Medicine
  • Health Behavior
  • Humans
  • Life Style*
  • Neoplasms / complications
  • Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Secondary Prevention
  • Survivors / psychology*
  • Translational Research, Biomedical