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Do ongoing lifestyle disruptions differ across cancer types after the conclusion of cancer treatment?

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Abstract

Introduction

Cancer interferes with participation in valued lifestyle activities (illness intrusiveness) throughout post-treatment survivorship. We investigated whether illness intrusiveness differs across life domains among survivors with diverse cancers. Intrusiveness should be highest in activities requiring physical/cognitive functioning (instrumental domain). Intrusiveness into relationship/sexual functioning (intimacy domain) should be higher in prostate, breast, and gastrointestinal cancers than in others.

Methods

Cancer outpatients (N = 656; 51% men) completed the Illness Intrusiveness Ratings Scale (IIRS) during follow-up. We compared IIRS Instrumental, Intimacy, and Relationships and Personal Development [RPD] subscale and total scores across gastrointestinal, lung, lymphoma, head and neck, prostate (men), and breast cancers (women), comparing men and women separately.

Results

Instrumental subscale scores (Mmen = 3.05–3.80, Mwomen = 3.02–3.63) were highest for all groups, except prostate cancer. Men with prostate cancer scored higher on Intimacy (M = 3.40) than Instrumental (M = 2.48) or RPD (M = 1.59), p’s < .05; their Intimacy scores did not differ from men with gastrointestinal or lung cancer. Women collectively showed higher Instrumental (M = 3.39) than Intimacy (M = 2.49) or RPD scores (M = 2.27), p’s < .001, but not the hypothesized group difference in Intimacy.

Conclusions

Post-treatment survivors continue to experience some long-term interference with activities requiring physical and cognitive functioning. Sexual adjustment may be of special concern to men when treatments involve genitourinary functioning.

Implications for Cancer Survivors

Ongoing monitoring with the IIRS to detect lifestyle interference throughout survivorship may enhance quality of life. Screening and intervention should target particular life domains rather than global interference.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by funding from the University Health Network (UHN) Quality Program, the Princess Margaret Hospital’s Department of Radiation Oncology, and the Princess Margaret Hospital’s Quality of Life Clinical Research Program. This research was also supported in part by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) through a post-doctoral fellowship to Kenneth Mah and a Senior Investigator Award to Gerald M. Devins. Thanks to Bev Devins and Wendy Maharaj for assistance in collecting the data. We extend our gratitude to the members of the UHN Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care Quality of Life Manuscript-Review Seminar for their invaluable feedback on earlier versions of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care Program, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Kenneth Mah

  2. Department of Radiation Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, and University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Andrea Bezjak

  3. Odette Cancer Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    D. Andrew Loblaw

  4. Department of Psychiatry, St. Joseph’s Health Centre, and University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Andrew Gotowiec

  5. Psychosocial Oncology and Palliative Care Program, Ontario Cancer Institute, Princess Margaret Hospital, and University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Gerald M. Devins

  6. Toronto General Hospital, Eaton North, 9EN-223, 200 Elizabeth Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2C4, Canada

    Gerald M. Devins

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  1. Kenneth Mah
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  2. Andrea Bezjak
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  3. D. Andrew Loblaw
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  4. Andrew Gotowiec
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  5. Gerald M. Devins
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Correspondence to Gerald M. Devins.

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Mah, K., Bezjak, A., Loblaw, D.A. et al. Do ongoing lifestyle disruptions differ across cancer types after the conclusion of cancer treatment?. J Cancer Surviv 5, 18–26 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-010-0163-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-010-0163-5

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