Publications by authors named "Courneya K"
Article Synopsis
- Aging leads to physiological changes and increased disease vulnerability, culminating in higher mortality rates as individuals get older.
- Regular physical activity (PA) and exercise can counteract aging effects, improve health span, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer.
- Personalized exercise plans, including various forms of training like aerobic and resistance exercises, are essential for maintaining health and functionality in older adults, particularly those with age-related issues.
Background: Type 2 diabetes is a major cause of illness and disability and physical activity reduces these risks. The SMART Health study aim was to compare the efficacy of a multicomponent intervention to promote aerobic physical activity and resistance training in schoolteachers at risk of or diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, with and without a technology-based behavior change package.
Methods: We randomized participants (N = 104) into 3 groups: "wait-list" control group, 5 face-to-face visits with a psychologist and exercise specialist (SH group), or 5 face-to-face visits over a 3-month period with a psychologist and exercise specialist, plus a technology-based behavior change package for an additional 6 months (SH+ group).
Background: This study compared the physical activity level of men with metastatic prostate cancer at baseline of the multicentre INTERVAL-GAP4 trial to the American Cancer Society guidelines and examined associations with physical fitness.
Methods: A total of 140 men on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) were included in this cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the INTERVAL-GAP4 trial. Exclusion criteria included a maximum of 1 h of vigorous aerobic exercise or one structured resistance exercise session per week but no restrictions on habitual physical activity.
Exercise plays many important roles across the entire cancer continuum that have been described in previous frameworks. These frameworks, however, have generally provided a simplified description of the roles of exercise postdiagnosis. The modern cancer treatment landscape has become complex and often consists of multiple lines of multimodal treatments combined concurrently and/or sequentially and delivered over many months or years.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To report the effects of a 12-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program on cardiometabolic biomarkers in patients with prostate cancer on active surveillance (AS) from the Exercise During Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer (ERASE) Trial.
Methods: Fifty-two men with prostate cancer on AS were randomized to either an exercise (HIIT; n = 26) or usual care (UC; n = 26) group. The HIIT intervention consisted of progressive, supervised, aerobic HIIT at an intensity of 85 to 95% VO for 28 to 40 min per session performed three times/week for 12 weeks.
Background: We proposed the Physical Activity and Cancer Control (PACC) framework in 2007 to help organise, focus, and stimulate research on physical activity in eight cancer control categories: prevention, detection, treatment preparation/coping, treatment coping/effectiveness, recovery/rehabilitation, disease prevention/health promotion, palliation, and survival.
Methods: This perspective paper provides a high-level overview of the scientific advances in physical activity research across cancer control categories, summarises current guidelines, updates the PACC framework, identifies remaining and emerging knowledge gaps, and provides future research directions.
Results: Many scientific advances have been made that are reflected in updated physical activity guidelines for six of the cancer control categories apart from detection and palliation.
Article Synopsis
- A study investigated how various cancer risk factors impact the likelihood of developing second primary cancers (SPC) in 533 endometrial cancer survivors over a follow-up period of 16.7 years.
- Key findings revealed that higher dietary glycemic load, older age, and increased alcohol intake were linked to a greater risk of SPC, with breast, colorectal, and lung cancers being the most commonly observed second cancers.
- Notably, reducing alcohol consumption from prediagnosis to early survivorship significantly lowered SPC risk, indicating that dietary changes and lifestyle modifications could be crucial for improving long-term health in endometrial cancer survivors.
Importance: Recovery of shoulder function following breast cancer surgery is crucial for physical functioning and quality of life. While early implementation of shoulder rehabilitation exercises may enhance recovery, the optimal timing and exercise program remain unclear.
Objective: To investigate whether an early exercise intervention, initiated 1 day postsurgery and continued for 1 month through subsequent visits, could improve shoulder range of motion (ROM) and strength in patients with breast cancer.
Purpose: The efficacy of exercise in men with prostate cancer (PCa) on active surveillance (AS) remains unclear. In this meta-analysis, we aimed to examine the effects of exercise in PCa patients on AS.
Methods: A literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library using search terms, including exercise, PCa, AS, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
Article Synopsis
- Exercise is really important for helping people with cancer feel better and stay strong during their treatment.
- It's important to look at different stages of cancer treatment, like before and after surgery, to create special exercise plans for each phase.
- Regular exercise can help reduce complications, fight fatigue, and improve overall quality of life for cancer patients and survivors.
Background: Newly diagnosed breast cancer patients experience symptoms that may affect their quality of life, treatment outcomes, and survival. Preventing and managing breast cancer-related symptoms soon after diagnosis is essential. The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between health-related fitness (HRF) and patient-reported symptoms in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: The purpose of this qualitative study was to use semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis to elicit key influencing factors (i.e., behavioral, normative, and control beliefs) related to physical activity and exercise in colorectal cancer survivors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: The number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of exercise among cancer survivors has increased in recent years; however, participants dropping out of the trials are rarely described. The objective of the present study was to assess which combinations of participant and exercise program characteristics were associated with dropout from the exercise arms of RCTs among cancer survivors.
Methods: This study used data collected in the Predicting OptimaL cAncer RehabIlitation and Supportive care (POLARIS) study, an international database of RCTs investigating the effects of exercise among cancer survivors.
Article Synopsis
- Many breast cancer survivors do not meet recommended exercise levels despite known health benefits.
- A study found that high anxiety, depression, and additional health issues (comorbidities) are linked to significant barriers preventing these survivors from exercising.
- The findings suggest that healthcare providers should take into account a survivor’s mental health and overall health conditions when offering exercise guidance and support.
Purpose: We aimed to examine potential associations between post-surgical upper limb morbidity and demographic, medical, surgical, and health-related fitness variables in newly diagnosed individuals with breast cancer.
Methods: Participants were recruited between 2012 and 2019. Objective measures of health-related fitness, body composition, shoulder range of motion, axillary web syndrome, and lymphedema were performed within 3 months of breast cancer surgery, and prior to or at the start of adjuvant cancer treatment.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to identify factors that influence physical activity and sedentary behavior in individuals recently diagnosed with breast cancer, focusing on social, demographic, clinical, and health-related aspects.
- Data was collected from 1,381 participants using activity monitoring devices and self-reported questionnaires within 90 days post-diagnosis, revealing significant associations between physical activity levels and attributes like body fat percentage, marital status, and ethnicity.
- The findings suggest that targeted interventions to promote physical activity could enhance long-term health outcomes for these patients, particularly by addressing barriers related to their demographic and clinical profiles.
Article Synopsis
- The study looked at how smoking and drinking alcohol affect the survival of women diagnosed with endometrial cancer.
- Researchers found that drinking more alcohol after diagnosis is linked to a higher chance of dying compared to those who don’t drink much or at all.
- Smoking didn’t seem to affect survival rates as much as drinking alcohol did in this group of cancer survivors.
Article Synopsis
- This study investigates the mental health and physical activity of newly diagnosed breast cancer survivors, focusing on how physical activity relates to depression, happiness, and life satisfaction.
- Out of 1,425 participants, data showed a mean depression score of 4.3 and a happiness score of 70, indicating varying levels of mental health challenges.
- Results suggest that higher levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) are associated with lower depression symptoms, with a significant reduction in the risk of mild or worse depression by 24% for each additional hour of MVPA.
Physical activity (PA) has been associated with reduced mortality among cancer survivors, but no study has focused on testicular cancer survivors (TCSs). We aimed to investigate the association of PA measured twice during survivorship with overall mortality in TCSs. TCSs treated during 1980 to 1994 participated in a nationwide longitudinal survey between 1998 to 2002 (S1: n = 1392) and 2007 to 2009 (S2: n = 1011).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Decisions to participate in cancer trials are associated with uncertainty, distress, wanting to help find a cure, the hope for benefit, and altruism. There is a gap in the literature regarding research examining participation in prospective cohort studies. The aim of this study was to examine the experiences of newly diagnosed women with breast cancer participating in the AMBER Study to identify potential strategies to support patients' recruitment, retention, and motivation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - The LIFTING trial aimed to assess the feasibility and safety of a heavy lifting strength training (HLST) program for head and neck cancer survivors (HNCS) who are at least one year post-surgery, building on the benefits of light-to-moderate intensity strength training (LMST).
- - In a 12-week study involving nine participants, all completed heavy lifting requirements with a high attendance rate; significant increases in strength were observed across multiple exercises without any adverse effects.
- - Results suggest HLST is both feasible and safe for HNCS, indicating potential for substantial strength improvement, and highlight the need for further research comparing HLST with LMST in this group.
Background: Moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) interventions improve patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of physical and psychological health among breast cancer survivors (BCS); however, the effects of specific intervention components on PROs are unknown.
Purpose: To use the Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST) to examine overall effects of the Fit2Thrive MVPA promotion intervention on PROs in BCS and explore whether there are intervention component-specific effects on PROs.
Methods: Physically inactive BCS [n = 269; Mage = 52.
Article Synopsis
- Scientists are creating a special exercise program for patients who have serious health problems and need help recovering.
- They followed eight steps to develop this program, like reviewing research and getting feedback from experts.
- Although only a few patients stuck with the program, some showed positive improvements in their health, and more research is needed to see how well it can help others.
Observational studies may play an important role in evaluating physical activity (PA) as a cancer treatment; however, few studies have been designed, analyzed, or interpreted from a clinical oncology perspective. The purpose of the present paper is to apply the Exercise as Cancer Treatment (EXACT) Framework to assess current observational studies of PA and cancer outcomes from a clinical oncology perspective and provide recommendations to improve their clinical utility. Recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses of over 130 observational studies have concluded that higher prediagnosis and postdiagnosis PA are associated with lower risks of cancer-specific and all-cause mortality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - The study examined how exercise program preferences among breast cancer survivors (BCS) changed before and after a behavioral intervention, with findings indicating a significant shift from preferring group exercise to individual exercise after the intervention.
- - The research revealed that those who initially preferred exercising with others experienced greater increases in self-reported moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) over time compared to those who did not.
- - The findings underscore the importance of understanding changing exercise preferences to enhance the design and effectiveness of physical activity intervention programs for breast cancer survivors.