Community-based participatory research to improve life quality and clinical outcomes of patients with breast cancer (DianaWeb in Umbria pilot study).

Introduction: Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequent cancer in Europe and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has estimated over 460 000 incident cases per year. Survival among patients with BC has increased in the past decades and EUROCARE-5 has estimated a 5-year relative survival rate of 82% for patients diagnosed in 2000-2007. There is growing evidence that lifestyle (such as a diet based on Mediterranean principles associated with moderate physical activity) may influence prognosis of BC; however, this information is not currently available to patients and is not considered in oncology protocols.

Effects of the "PreveDi" lifestyle modification trial on metabolic syndrome.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of metabolic disorders that includes central obesity, hyperinsulinemia, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and high blood pressure (BP). Statistical reports suggest that the prevalence of MetS has dramatically increased during the recent years and is considered a worldwide epidemic. MetS has been found to be associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease and some types of cancer.