Working cancer survivors' physical and mental characteristics compared to cancer-free workers in Japan: a nationwide general population-based study.

PURPOSE: This study compared working cancer survivors' self-rated health status (SRHS), physical functional capacity, depressive symptoms, and happiness to those of cancer-free workers. METHODS: A nationwide general population-based cross-sectional study on a sample of Japanese was conducted. Prevalence of deteriorated SRHS, restricted physical functional capacity, depressive symptoms, and perceived happiness were compared between working cancer survivors and cancer-free workers with multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusted for age and sociodemographic and health-related backgrounds. RESULTS: Of the 28,311 male and 26,068 female workers, 977 (3.5%) and 1267 (4.9%) were cancer survivors, respectively. Working cancer survivors reported deteriorated SRHS more frequently than cancer-free workers: 21.3% vs. 13.8%, multivariable-adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval), 1.64 (1.39-1.95) for men, 23.8% vs. 17.5%, 1.34 (1.16-1.54) for women. Restricted physical functional capacity was reported more frequently in working cancer survivors than cancer-free workers: 6.8% vs. 2.6%, 1.76 (1.34-2.32) for men, 4.9% vs. 2.0%, 2.06 (1.56-2.71) for women. No significant difference was found for depressive symptoms: 21.6% vs. 22.9% in men, 30.0% vs. 28.5% in women. Working cancer survivors felt happiness more frequently than cancer-free survivors in men (77.3% vs. 71.7%, 1.21 (1.01-1.45)) but not in women (76.1% vs. 74.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Working cancer survivors had worse SRHS and more restricted physical functional capacity than cancer-free workers. In men, working cancer survivors felt happiness more frequently than cancer-free workers. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Continuous support to improve cancer survivors' SRHS and physical functional capacity would be necessary even while they are working.

Relationship between bone turnover markers and the heel stiffness index measured by quantitative ultrasound in post-menopausal Japanese women.

Background: Osteoporosis in women is a serious health problem. The relationships between biochemical markers of bone turnover and bone mineral density (BMD) in women have been reported, but no study has examined relationships between tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-5b (TRACP-5b) or bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP) and bone mass measured by quantitative ultrasound (QUS) in Japanese post-menopausal women. Aim: To investigate the serum TRACP-5b and BAP levels and to determine their associations with the heel stiffness index measured by QUS in post-menopausal women. Subjects and methods: The subjects were 510 post-menopausal women who were invited to participate in periodic health examinations in 2011-2013 (the Unzen Study). The heel stiffness index (bone mass) was measured by QUS. Serum samples were collected and TRACP-5b and BAP levels were measured. Results: Multiple regression analysis showed that a higher log (TRACP-5b) was correlated with a lower stiffness index (p = 0.014) and log (BAP) was not correlated with stiffness index after adjusting for covariates (p = 0.136). Conclusion: Higher rates of bone resorption are associated with a lower stiffness index in Japanese post-menopausal women. These results may indicate that high bone resorption affects bone mass more than bone formation, resulting in a low bone mass.