Modifiable Lifestyle Behaviours Impact the Health-Related Quality of Life of Bladder Cancer Survivors.

To examine health behaviours including physical activity (PA), body mass index, diet quality, smoking and alcohol consumption, and explore their relationship with HRQoL.

Cross-sectional questionnaire packages were distributed to bladder cancer survivors (muscle-invasive (MIBC) and non-muscle invasive (NMIBC)) over the age of 18, and proficient in English. Lifestyle behaviours were measured using established measures/questions, and reported using descriptive statistics. HRQoL was assessed using the validated Bladder Utility Symptom Scale, and its association with lifestyle behaviours was evaluated using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and multivariate regression analyses.

A total of 586 participants completed the questionnaire (52% response rate). The mean age was 67.3±10.2, and 68% were male. Twenty percent (n=117) met PA guidelines, and 22.7% (n=133) met dietary guidelines. 60.9% (n=357) were overweight/obese, and majority met alcohol recommendations (n=521, 92.5%) and were current non-smokers (n=535, 91.0%). Health behaviours did not differ between MIBC and NMIBC and cancer treatment stages. Sufficient PA, healthy diet, and non-smoking were significantly associated with HRQoL, and the number of health behaviours participants engaged in was positively associated with HRQoL (p<0.001).

Bladder cancer survivors are not meeting guidelines for important lifestyle behaviours that may improve their overall HRQoL. Future research should investigate the impact of behavioural and educational interventions for health behaviours on HRQoL in this population.

BJU international. 2020 Jan 24 [Epub ahead of print]

Jiil Chung, Manjula Maganti, Girish S Kulkarni, Robin Morash, Andrew Matthew, Janet Papadakos, Rodney H Breau, David Guttman, Jackie Bender, Jennifer M Jones

Cancer Rehabilitation and Survivorship Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON., Departments of Surgery and Surgical Oncology, Division of Urology, University Health Network and University of Toronto, Toronto, ON., Wellness Beyond Cancer Program, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON., Psychosocial Oncology Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON., Oncology Education Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON., Division of Urology, The Ottawa Hospital and University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON., Bladder Cancer Canada, Toronto, ON.