Many Women Who Beat Cancer Don't Change Habits

Main Category: Breast Cancer
Article Date: 01 Oct 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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Many women who battle breast cancer will tell you it's a life-changing experience. However, a new study shows that for many women, the changes aren't always positive or permanent. Now the surprising results of a study that looked at the habits of women, after diagnosis.

Beth Snoke has watched her mother and both grandmothers battle and survive breast cancer. So when she was diagnosed, there was no doubt in her mind what she had to do.

"I do exactly what the doctors say as far as the medicine that I'm on, as far as the vitamins, the diet, and the fitness. And I can't stress that enough how important that is," says Beth Snoke. But a surprising new study shows that not every woman who beats breast cancer is getting that message. In fact, nearly 40% of them say even after surviving breast cancer, they haven't made significant changes in the way they eat or how much they exercise.

"Not all survivors are taking advantage of this teachable moment and making positive health changes in their life," says Electra Paskett, PhD, at Ohio State University's Comprehensive Cancer Center. Paskett says diet and exercise have been proven to not only help women feel better during and after treatment, they may also play a role in preventing some cancers from coming back. Despite growing evidence, some women just aren't listening.

"Colon cancer survivors who exercise have actually been shown to have improved survival rates. So, yes, it is true that perhaps by making some of these healthy choices we can actually increase their health," says Paskett.

As a breast cancer survivor herself, Paskett knows first hand how much difference diet and exercise can make. The challenge, she says, is to get more survivors to be more like Beth, during and after treatment.

"That's my motivation to keep going. Because I know how much it helped then, and I have no doubt that it will help me in the future," says Beth.

Experts say exercising more and eating a healthier diet can also cut down on stress and help women overcome depression. There are more than 2 million breast cancer survivors living in the U.S.* Of those, nearly a million have yet to change their diet or exercise routines.

*Exercise and Dietary Change after Diagnosis and Cancer-related Symptoms in Long-term Survivors of Breast Cancer: CALGB 79804, Psycho-Oncology, published online June 2008, http://www3.interscience.wiley.com

Ohio State University

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