Patras – Research on cancer patients of the PGNP: How is life after chemotherapy?

Male cancer patients appear more unruly than female cancer patients during their treatment, but also after the necessity of lifestyle change.

The above results from the particularly revealing study conducted at the Oncology Department of the University Hospital of Patras. Her aim was to record the implementation of physical activity, proper nutrition, contact with nature and the existence of physical and mental health in cancer patients, after chemotherapy.

The study was carried out by the nurse of the Oncology Department Eleni Grindela and with the help of the head of the Department Anna Vihas and the nurse Ioanna Velissaris under the supervision of Apostolos Vantarakis, professor of Hygiene and Angelos Koutras, professor of Pathology-Oncology and director of the Oncology Department.

“The purpose of this research was to capture the quality of life of patients with various types of cancer after chemotherapy. A questionnaire was developed based on the online questionnaire from the European OACCUs project, mainly with questions on life after treatment related to fitness, nutrition, contact with nature, but also physical and mental health,” explains Ms. Griddle.

THE FINDINGS

The research focused on the four main sections (exercise, nutrition, nature and sustainability and physical and mental health), cancer patients seem to have a differentiated situation depending on their gender, but also the type of treatment they received (chemotherapy or some other form therapy). Women seem to have a greater fear of their disease than men.

Compared with previous standards of care, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery, immunotherapy to treat cancer has produced significant improvements for patients in terms of survival and quality of life. While several studies in various types of cancer show that chemotherapy is a harsh treatment approach for cancer—in terms of its side effects and subsequent lifestyle—there is little evidence to show whether it should be used as an adjunctive treatment alongside other treatment strategies. , may not have obvious effects. Performing combined exercise during and after patients’ chemotherapy can lead to better long-term outcomes and fitness. Characteristically, walking, through another study, appeared to improve the quality of life after chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.

DIET

Adoption of a healthy diet during illness is influenced by gender, with women more likely to adopt a healthy diet than men. 32.3% of women adopted a healthy diet during their illness and treatment with a much smaller proportion of men. Also, 61.6% of women said they had visited a dietician for nutritional advice after cancer treatment, compared to only 21% of men. Also, 72.7% of women believe that a healthy eating pattern could help them in their life as a cancer survivor, as opposed to 15.2% of men who believe so.

DEPRESSION ANXIETY

The approach to depression and anxiety is common among women with breast cancer after completion of chemotherapy, and the various treatments during the first years after systemic chemotherapy can be predicted by screening for depression and anxiety at the end of chemotherapy.

CONTACT WITH NATURE

Regarding the relationship with nature, 44.4% of women state that they would join a group that organizes outdoor activities on a regular basis, with the corresponding percentage of men reaching 12.1%.
Cancer survivors seem to have a differentiated situation depending on their gender, but also the type of treatment they received, however more research is needed to confirm the findings of this work and also investigate other factors that would help cancer survivors.