Publications by authors named "Susan C Gilchrist"

Childhood, adolescent, and young adult (CAYA) cancer survivors (age 0-39 years at diagnosis) are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Family history of early heart disease increases the risk of CVD in the general population; however, it is unknown whether this association is seen in CAYA cancer survivors. Self-report data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005-2018) were used to identify CAYA survivors (>5 years post-diagnosis).

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Background: Early skeletal muscle loss has been observed in adolescent and young adult (AYA) sarcoma patients undergoing treatment. Identification of individuals within the AYA populace that are at greatest risk of anthracycline-induced skeletal muscle loss is unknown. Moreover, investigations which seek out underlying causes of skeletal muscle degradation during chemotherapy are critical for understanding, preventing, and reducing chronic health conditions associated with poor skeletal muscle status.

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  • Lynch syndrome (LS) is a hereditary condition that increases the risk of colorectal and endometrial cancers, and this study explores the effects of a 12-month aerobic exercise program on LS patients' immune systems.
  • The trial involved 21 LS patients who participated in cycling classes three times a week for a year, and the results showed significant improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and reduced inflammation markers compared to a control group.
  • The exercise group experienced changes in immune cell profiles in their colon, suggesting that regular exercise may help lower cancer risk in LS patients by affecting their immune system.
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Background: Men diagnosed with prostate cancer are at risk for competing morbidity and mortality due to cardiometabolic disease given their advanced age at diagnosis, high prevalence of pre-existing risk factors, and receipt of systemic therapy that targets the androgen receptor (AR). Expert panels have stressed the importance of cardiometabolic risk assessment in the clinic and proposed evaluating key risks using consensus paradigms. Yet, there is a gap in real-world evidence for implementation of comprehensive cardiometabolic care for men with prostate cancer.

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  • The study aims to identify biomarkers that can help pinpoint patients at high risk for developing heart issues after receiving doxorubicin (DOX) treatment, focusing on better monitoring and early interventions.
  • Mice were tested with DOX and assessed for changes in specific miRNAs, cytokines, and cardiac function both before and after treatment, alongside a comparable study in sarcoma patients.
  • Results showed that certain miRNAs and cytokines increased in DOX-treated mice and patients, indicating potential biomarkers for predicting heart problems, while exercise seemed to prevent these changes in mice.
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Adolescents and young adult (AYA) patients with sarcoma are at heightened risk of reduced physical capacity and disease-related weakness. Sit-to-stand (STS) performance correlates with lower extremity functionality and activities of daily living; however, little is known regarding the relationship between muscular status and STS performance in patients with sarcoma. This study assessed STS performance in patients with sarcoma and the association between STS performance and the skeletal muscle index (SMI) and skeletal muscle density (SMD).

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Background: There is a growing population of adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors (ages 15-39 years), and they have an elevated risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Little is known about the contribution of sociodemographic and modifiable factors to the risk of CVD in AYA survivors and whether these factors differentially modulate their risk compared with that in the general population. The current study sought to fill these gaps.

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Purpose: There is a growing population of adolescent and young adult (AYA, ages 15-39 at diagnosis) cancer survivors at heightened risk of chronic conditions. Moderate to vigorous physical activity level (MVPA) is an important modifiable factor associated with improved cardiovascular health. Little is known about the association of sociodemographic factors with MVPA in AYA survivors.

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Purpose: Sedentary behavior is associated with poor physical function in older adults, which can lead to accelerated skeletal muscle aging (sarcopenia) and premature mortality. We examined the independent and joint effects of sedentary behavior and moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) with measures of physical functioning.

Methods: We studied 5408 participants in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke study who wore a hip-mounted accelerometer over seven consecutive days (2009-2013) and had self-reported and directly observed physical function (time walk, chair stand test) measured during an in-home visit conducted from 2013 to 2016.

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  • The text provides guidance on exercise, diet, and weight management for adults undergoing active cancer treatment, emphasizing the importance of these factors for improving quality of life and treatment outcomes.* -
  • A systematic review identified 52 systematic reviews and 23 randomized controlled trials, showing that exercise enhances physical fitness and reduces complications, while neutropenic diets did not lower the risk of infection.* -
  • Recommendations suggest that oncology providers should advocate for regular aerobic and resistance exercise and preoperative exercise in lung cancer patients, while highlighting the need for more research on diet and weight loss interventions during cancer treatment.*
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Background: Immunosenescence is described as age-associated changes within the immune system that are responsible for decreased immunity and increased cancer risk. Physically active individuals have fewer 'senescent' and more naïve T-cells compared to their sedentary counterparts, but it is not known if exercise training can rejuvenate 'older looking' T-cell profiles. We determined the effects of 12-weeks supervised exercise training on the frequency of T-cell subtypes in peripheral blood and their relationships with circulating levels of the muscle-derived cytokines (i.

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  • Cardiovascular disease is the top cause of death among women, highlighting the need for personalized research that addresses risk factors influenced by sex and race inequities.
  • The Research Goes Red (RGR) registry, launched by the American Heart Association and Verily in 2019, is an online platform that collects data to improve understanding and management of cardiovascular issues in women.
  • As of July 2021, RGR has engaged over 15,000 participants, primarily women, and is conducting studies focused on perimenopausal weight gain and increasing awareness of cardiovascular health among underrepresented groups.
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Identification of anthracycline-induced muscle loss is critical for maintaining health in adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients. We used routine chest computed tomography (CT) scans to investigate changes in skeletal muscle of 16 AYA sarcoma patients at thoracic vertebrae 4 (T4) after anthracycline treatment. CT images were examined at three time points (prechemotherapy, postchemotherapy, and 1 year).

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Purpose: Cardiotoxicities induced by cancer therapy can negatively affect quality of life and survival. We investigated whether high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) levels could serve as biomarker for early detection of cardiac adverse events (CAEs) after chemoradiation therapy (CRT) for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods And Materials: This study included 225 patients who received concurrent platinum and taxane-doublet chemotherapy with thoracic radiation therapy to a total dose of 60 to 74 Gy for NSCLC.

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Purpose: Preclinical evidence suggests that natural killer cell (NK-cell) function and myokines facilitate the protective effects of exercise for breast cancer prevention. Since higher-intensity exercise acutely promotes greater mobilization and larger changes in NK-cell cytotoxicity than lower-intensity, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) might offer increased immune protection compared to moderate-intensity continuous-training (MICT). This study compared a 12-week HIIT program to a 12-week MICT program and usual care on changes in resting NK-cell function and circulating myokines among women at high risk for breast cancer.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Cancer treatments can harm the cardiovascular system, leading to decreased cardiorespiratory fitness, which is a vital factor for CVD risk.
  • * Exercise training is being explored as a beneficial intervention for cancer patients to enhance fitness levels and reduce the likelihood of CVD, with cardio-oncology rehabilitation playing a key role.
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Purpose Of Review: Cancer patients often have cardiovascular risk factors at the time of cancer diagnosis, which are known to increase the risk of cardiotoxicity. Cancer survivors have significantly higher cardiovascular risk. Current cardiovascular disease prevention guidelines are based on studies that largely excluded these patients.

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Background Cardio-oncology is a clinical discipline focused primarily on the early detection of anticancer therapy-related cardiomyopathy. However, there is growing evidence that the direct adverse consequences extend beyond the myocardium to affect the vasculature, but this evidence remains limited. In addition, there remains a paucity of clinically based strategies for monitoring vascular toxicity in these patients.

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Importance: Sedentary behavior is associated with several health outcomes, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality. Less is known about the association between objectively measured sedentary behavior and cancer mortality, as well as the association with physical activity.

Objective: To examine the association between accelerometer-measured sedentary behavior (total volume and accrual in prolonged, uninterrupted bouts) and cancer mortality.

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Introduction: Women with pathogenic germline gene variants in and/or are at increased risk of developing ovarian and breast cancer. While surgical and pharmacological approaches are effective for risk-reduction, it is unknown whether lifestyle approaches such as healthful dietary habits, weight management, and physical activity may also contribute to risk-reduction. We conducted a systematic review of evidence related to dietary habits, weight status/change, and physical activity on ovarian and breast cancer risk among women with pathogenic variants.

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This study examines the association between inflammatory biomarkers and risk of cancer mortality by race. Data were obtained from 1,856 participants in the prospective REGARDS cohort who were cancer-free at baseline, and analyzed in relation to cancer mortality prospectively. Biomarkers were log-transformed and categorized into tertiles due to non-normal distributions, and Cox proportional hazard regression models were utilized to compute hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals using robust sandwich methods.

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