Publications by authors named "Alexander R Lucas"

Background: The goal of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding about the lived experiences and unmet needs of rural male cancer survivors.

Methods: Focus groups were conducted with male survivors of prostate (N = 14) and colorectal cancers (N = 10), from rural Virginia. Demographic and clinical information were collected via surveys.

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Background: Lower income is associated with high incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. CVD is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer survivors. However, there is limited research on the association between income, CVD, and mortality in this population.

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Objective: Insomnia and repetitive negative thinking (RNT) are both prevalent among cancer survivors, yet little work has investigated their interrelationship. To explore the hypothesis that RNT and insomnia are related, we conducted secondary analyses on data from a pilot clinical trial of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) for cancer survivors.

Methods: This study analyzed survey data from 40 cancer survivors with insomnia who participated in a pilot randomized trial of CBT-I.

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Background: Cancer treatment increases cardiovascular disease risk, but physical activity (PA) may prevent cardiovascular disease.

Objectives: This study examined whether greater PA was associated with better submaximal exercise capacity and cardiac function during cancer therapy.

Methods: Participants included 223 women with stage I to III breast cancer (BC) before and 3 months after undergoing treatment and 126 control participants.

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Purpose: Adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) often causes debilitating endocrine symptoms that compromise quality of life (QOL) in women diagnosed with hormone receptor positive breast cancer (BC). We examined whether greater levels of physical activity (PA) or prolonged sitting were associated with reduced side effects or worse side effects of AET, respectively.

Methods: We used parallel process latent growth curve models to examine longitudinal patterns in PA and sitting behaviors, and their association with endocrine symptoms and QOL over 3 years of follow-up in 554 female BC survivors undergoing AET.

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Objective: The Lee-Jones model posits that antecedent individual and interpersonal factors predicate the development of fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) through cognitive and emotional processing, which further to behavioral, emotional, and/or physiological responses. We analyzed data from FoRtitude, a FCR intervention grounded in the Lee-Jones FCR model, to evaluate associations between FCR antecedents, resources (e.g.

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Purpose: To examine the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) among breast cancer (BC) survivors.

Design: Cross-sectional observational study using the data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2018.

Setting: United States (US).

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Background: Home-based training increases accessibility to exercise and mitigates the side effects of hormone therapy for prostate cancer (PC). However, it is unknown if men with more advanced disease are willing to partake in such interventions.

Purpose: To determine the feasibility of a home-based exercise intervention in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

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Objective: To compare the effects of an exercise and dietary intervention with those of standard-of-care management upon change in lift and carry performance and mobility-related self-efficacy beliefs and explore associations in prostate cancer patients undergoing androgen deprivation therapy.

Methods: 32 prostate cancer patients (M age = 66.2 years; SD = 7.

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To determine the cross-sectional associations of accelerometer-measured time spent in physical activity intensity categories (sedentary, low and high light intensity, or moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) with physical performance outcomes [stair climb ascent, 40 foot walk test, and short physical performance battery (SPPB)] in older women and examine differences by race/ethnicity. Data were from 1,256 Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) participants [aged 64.9 (2.

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Background: Approximately 20% of cancer survivors treated with chemotherapy experience worsening heart failure (HF) symptoms post-cancer treatment. While research has predominantly investigated the role of cardiotoxic treatments, much less attention has focused on other risk factors, such as adiposity. However, emerging data in cancer survivors indicates that adiposity may also impact a variety of cardiovascular outcomes.

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Background: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer (PC) has detrimental effects on physical function and quality of life (QoL), but the addition of androgen receptor signalling inhibitors (ARSI) on these outcomes is unclear.

Purpose: To compare body composition, physical function, and QoL across progressive stages of PC and non-cancer controls (CON).

Methods: In men with hormone sensitive PC (HSPC, n = 43) or metastatic castration-resistant PC (mCRPC, n = 22) or CON (n = 37), relative and absolute lean and fat mass, physical function (6 m walk, chair stands, timed up and go [TUG], stair climb), and QoL were determined.

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Purpose: To examine physical activity (PA) patterns from pre- to post-diagnosis, and compare these changes to women without breast cancer. To determine pre-diagnosis predictors of PA change, post-diagnosis, in breast cancer survivors (BCS).

Methods: Data were from 2314 Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) participants, average age of 46.

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Background: Exercise and dietary (EX+D) interventions could represent an optimal treatment for attenuating or reversing adverse effects of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in prostate cancer (PCa) patients. The Individualized Diet and Exercise Adherence-Pilot (IDEA-P) trial compared the effects of an EX+D intervention relative to standard-of-care (SC) treatment among PCa patients undergoing ADT. The present study evaluated the effects of the EX+D intervention on body composition (BC) obtained via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in a subsample of IDEA-P patients.

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Objectives: To examine and compare changes in strength and physical function from pre- to post-diagnosis among men with prostate cancer (PC, [cases]) and matched non-cancer controls identified from the Health, Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) study.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a longitudinal analysis of 2 strength and 3 physical function-based measures among both cases and controls, identified from a large cohort of community living older adults enrolled in the Health ABC study. We plotted trajectories for each measure and compared cases vs.

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. To compare the effects of a group-mediated cognitive behavioral (GMCB) exercise and dietary (EX+D) intervention with those of standard-of-care (SC) treatment on select social cognitive outcomes in prostate cancer (PCa) patients undergoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). .

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Background: Capturing and Analyzing Sensor and Self-Report Data for Clinicians and Researchers (COMPASS) is an electronic health (eHealth) platform designed to improve cancer care delivery through passive monitoring of patients' health status and delivering customizable reports to clinicians. Based on data from sensors and context-driven administration of patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures, key indices of patients' functional status can be collected between regular clinic visits, supporting clinicians in the delivery of patient care.

Objective: The first phase of this project aimed to systematically collect input from oncology providers and patients on potential clinical applications for COMPASS to refine the system.

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Background: Although androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) is the foundation of treatment for prostate cancer, the physiological impacts of ADT result in functional decline and enhanced risk of chronic disease and metabolic syndrome.

Purpose: The Individualized Diet and Exercise Adherence Pilot Trial (IDEA-P) is a single-blind, randomized, pilot trial comparing the effects of a group-mediated, cognitive-behavioral (GMCB) exercise and dietary intervention (EX+D) with those of a standard-of-care (SC) control during the treatment of prostate cancer patients undergoing ADT.

Methods: A total of 32 prostate cancer patients (M age = 66.

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Fairman, CM, LaFountain, RL, Lucas, AR, and Focht, BC. Monitoring resistance exercise intensity using ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) in previously untrained patients with prostate cancer undergoing androgen deprivation therapy. J Strength Cond Res 32(5): 1360-1365, 2018-Exercise has been shown to be safe and effective for patients with prostate cancer (PrCa).

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Compelling evidence suggests that physical activity is an effective intervention for cancer survivors, including for those undergoing active cancer treatments. However, to date most evidence has emerged from interventions that have promoted moderate to vigorous physical activity. In this conceptual review, we argue that attention should be given to the entire continuum of physical activity from reducing sedentary behavior to increasing higher levels of physical activity when possible.

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Background: Breast cancer survivors face a risk of disease recurrence and a higher risk of developing comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease when compared with the general population. Physical activity (PA) has been shown to reduce such risks. The current analyses sought to identify: 1) unique patterns of PA among breast cancer survivors; and 2) characteristics associated with the level of PA.

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There are a growing number of cancer survivors in the USA. Despite lifestyle behaviors being strongly associated with morbidity and mortality following primary treatment, recruitment to clinical research studies that aim to improve such behaviors remains a significant challenge. Furthermore, pilot and feasibility studies are critical for the refinement of research methods and form an important training opportunity for early career scientists.

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