Physical activity and nutritional interventions and health-related quality of life in colorectal cancer survivors: a review

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Once often perceived as a death sentence, colorectal cancer (CRC) is now a frequently treatable illness for most and a chronic disease for many. The number of people living with a diagnosis of CRC is expected to rise. Even after successful treatment, CRC survivors, mostly the elderly, frequently experience health problems and impaired quality of life (QoL).

Areas covered: We present a review on the effects of physical activity and/or nutritional interventions in the QoL of CRC survivors as well as an explanatory introduction to the topic.

Expert commentary: Targeting unhealthy lifestyle behavior of these vulnerable individuals during post-treatment care is a promising strategy for improving their health status and QoL, but more evidence is needed, especially for QoL. Thus, besides survival, efforts should also be directed toward improving the QoL of CRC survivors.

KEYWORDS:

• Colorectal cancer
• Quality of life
• physical activity
• nutrition
• lifestyle

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Additional information

Funding

Luisa Soares-Miranda is supported by SFRH/BPD/76947/2011 funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia Fundação para a Ciência (FCT). The Research Centre in Physical Activity Health and Leisure is supported by FCT: UID/DTP/00617/2013. Research by Alejandro Lucia is funded by Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (FIS, grant # PI15/00558) and Fondos FEDER.