Aim To investigate quality of life and exposure to lifestyle risk factors of cancer patients in Bosnia and Herzegovina and a correlation of cancer type with lifestyle risk factors. Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted on 200 cancer patients from the Clinical Centre of the University of Sarajevo. The respondents completed an anonymous questionnaire consisting of seven sections: basic patient information, physical activity, dietary habits including alternative medicine, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, anxiety, and comorbidities. Results A total of 150 (75%) patients were overweight with 113 (56%) of them being less physically active after the confirmed diagnosis. After the diagnosis, 79 (40%) patients ate less food, and 154 (77%) healthier; 130 (65%) reported consumption of alternative medicine and food supplements, 39 (30%) spent >1/4 of average monthly salary on these products. Majority never consumed alcohol, 135 (68%) and 101 (51%) patients reported history of tobacco use. Being obese was an independent predictor for colorectal carcinoma; being less obese was linked to a decreased risk of breast cancer diagnosis. Physical activity was linked to a decreased risk of lung cancer diagnosis. Many patients (122; 61%) reported having chronic comorbidities, mostly hypertension, while 44 (22%) patients were proven to be clinically anxious. Conclusion Our data suggest lack of public awareness of the consequences of unhealthy lifestyles. Risk factors such as alcohol consumption and tobacco use differed from other European countries. Significance of lifestyle changes after the diagnosis for reducing mortality and cancer recurrence requires further research. Prevention programs and more data are needed.
Meat, fish and dairy products and the risk of cancer. World Cancer Research Fund 2018.
2
Cancer country profiles 2014.
3
Holmes M, Chen W, Feskanich D, Kroenke C, Colditz G. Physical activity and survival after breast cancer diagnosis. JAMA 2005:2479–86.
4
Mitchell A, Chan M, Bhatti H, Halton M, Grassi L, Johansen C, et al. Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and adjustment disorder in oncological, haematological, and palliative-care settings: a metaanalysis of 94 interview-based studies. Lancet Oncol 2011:160–74.
5
Patel A, Carter B, Stevens V, Gaudet M, Campbell P, Gapstur S. The relationship between physical activity, obesity, and lung cancer risk by smoking status in a large prospective cohort of US adults. Cancer Causes Control 2017:1357–68.
6
Zhang X, Liu Y, Shao H, Zheng X. Obesity Paradox in Lung Cancer Prognosis: Evolving Biological Insights and Clinical Implications. J Thor Oncol 2017:1478–88.
7
Audrain-Mcgovern J, Benowitz N. Cigarette smoking, nicotine, and body weight. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2011:164–8.
8
Gavazzi C, Sieri S, Traclò F, Sproviero A, Vandoni G, Ricci R, et al. Changes in food habits in cancer patients in Italy: a survey. AIOM-SINPE-FAVO. Nutrition 2018:140–5.
9
Salminen E, Lagström H, Heikkilä S, Salminen S. Does breast cancer change patients’ dietary habits? Eur J Clin Nutr 2000:844–8.
10
Levi F. Cancer prevention: epidemiology and perspectives. Eur J Cancer 1999:1046–58.
11
Picon-Ruiz M, Morata-Tarifa C, Valle-Goffin J, Friedman E, Slingerland J. Obesity and adverse breast cancer risk and outcome: mechanistic insights and strategies for intervention. CA Cancer J Clin 2017:378–97.
12
Tseng T, Lin H, Moody-Thomas S, Martin M, Chen T. Who tended to continue smoking after cancer diagnosis: the national health and nutrition examination survey 1999-2008. BMC Public Health 2012:784.
13
Warren G, Marshall J, Cummings K, Toll B, Gritz E, Hutson A, et al. Addressing tobacco use in patients with cancer: a survey of American Society of Clinical Oncology members. J Oncol Pract 2013:258–62.
14
Corrao G, Bagnardi V, Zambon A, Arico S. Exploring the dose-response relationship between alcohol consumption and the risk of several alcohol-related conditions: a meta-analysis. Addiction 1999:1551–73.
15
Liu Y, Nguyen N, Colditz G. Links between alcohol consumption and breast cancer: a look at the evidence. Womens Health (Lond) 2015:65–77.
16
Saquib J, Madlensky L, Kealey S, Saquib N, Natarajan L, Newman V, et al. Classification of CAM use and its correlates in patients with early-stage breast cancer. Integr CancerTher 2011:138–47.
17
Linden W, Vodermaier A, Mackenzie R, Greig D. Anxiety and depression after cancer diagnosis: prevalence rates by cancer type, gender, and age. J Affect Disord 2012:343–51.
18
Sarfati D, Koczwara B, Jackson C. The impact of comorbidity on cancer and its treatment. CA Cancer J Clin 2016:337–50.
19
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Strategija za prevenciju, tretman i kontrolu malignih neoplazmi u Federaciji Bosne i Hercegovine 2012-2020 (Strategies for prevention, treatment and control of malignant neoplasms in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina) 28AD.
20
Seitz H, Becker P. Alcohol metabolism and cancer risk. Alcohol Res Health 2007:44–7.
21
Global Cancer Observatory 2018.
22
Berger N. Obesity and cancer pathogenesis. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2014:57–76.
23
Allott E, Masko E, Freedland S. Obesity and prostate cancer: weighing the evidence. Eur Urol 2013:800–9.
24
Haehling V, Anker S, S. Cachexia as a major underestimated and unmet medical need: facts and numbers. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 2010:1–5.
25
Schulz K, Patra S, Spielmann H, Klapdor S, Schlüter K, Eckert V, et al. Physical condition, nutritional status, fatigue, and quality of life in oncological out-patients. SAGE Open Med 2017:2050312117743674.
26
Ligibel J. Lifestyle factors in cancer survivorship. J Clin Oncol 2012:3697–704.
27
Peters R, Ee N, Peters J, Beckett N, Booth A, Rockwood K, et al. Common risk factors for major noncommunicable disease, a systematic overview of reviews and commentary: the implied potential for targeted risk reduction. Ther Adv Chronic Dis 2019:2040622319880392.
28
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US) 2014.
29
Warren G, Alberg A. Smoking cessation after cancer diagnosis and survival in cancer patients. J Clin Oncol 2018:1561.
30
Anand P, Kunnumakkara A, Kunnumakara A, Sundaram C, Harikumar K, Tharakan S, et al. Cancer is a preventable disease that requires major lifestyle changes. Pharm Res 2008:2097–116.
31
Schwedhelm C, Boeing H, Hoffmann G, Aleksandrova K, Schwingshackl L. Effect of diet on mortality and cancer recurrence among cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. Nutr Rev 2016:737–48.
32
Holland J, Andersen B, Breitbart W, Buchmann L, Compas B, Deshields T, et al. Distress Management: Clinical practice guidelines in oncology. J Natl Compr Canc Netw 2013:190–209.
33
Youth F, Stoto M, Almario D, Mccormick M. Reducing the Odds: Preventing Perinatal Transmission of HIV In The United States. Public Health Screening Programs 1999;(2).
34
Salibasic M, Delibegovic S. The Quality of Life and Degree of Depression of Patients Suffering from Breast Cancer. Med Arch 2018:202–5.
35
Trninić Z, Vidacak A, Vrhovac J, Petrov B, Setka V. Quality of life after colorectal cancer surgery in patients from University Clinical Hospital Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Coll Antropol 2009;(Suppl 2):1–5.
36
Glavić Z, Galić S, Krip M. Quality of life and personality traits in patients with colorectal cancer. Psychiatr Danub 2014:172–80.
37
Dunstan D, Scott N. Assigning Clinical Significance and Symptom Severity Using the Zung Scales: Levels of Misclassification Arising from Confusion between Index and Raw Scores. Depress Res Treat 2018:9250972.
38
WHO Global Health Observatory. Data Repository 2013.
The statements, opinions and data contained in the journal are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publisher and the editor(s). We stay neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
,
