Diet, Exercise, and Complementary Therapies After Primary Treatment for Cancer

Lee W. Jones, Wendy Demark-Wahnefried

(Published in the monthly medical journal The Lancet Oncology )

Each year, over ten million people are diagnosed with cancer worldwide. Given significant improvements in early detection and treatment, increasing numbers of patients can expect to be alive in five years. With improving longevity, the late-occurring adverse effects of cancer and its treatment are becoming increasingly apparent. As in other clinical populations, healthy lifestyle behaviors encompassing regular exercise, weight control, healthy nutrition, and other related complementary practices have the potential to significantly reduce cancer treatment-associated morbidity and mortality in cancer survivors.

The goal of the present paper is to: (1) review the strength of evidence for recommendations in areas of exercise, weight management, healthy nutritional practices, and related complementary therapies; (2) the perceived needs of cancer survivors for health information and channels of delivery; and (3) the resources available to oncology care providers and patients regarding healthy lifestyle behaviors. Overall, this comprehensive review provides important information to oncology care providers who are counseling their patients on preventive lifestyle practices to maximize health and longevity following a cancer diagnosis.

Lee W. Jones, PhD
Assistant Research Professor in Surgery
Co-Director, Tug McGraw Research Center

Click here to download a PDF of this article as published in The Lancet Oncology, a monthly medical journal.