Identifying female pelvic cancer survivors with low levels of physical activity after radiotherapy: women with fecal and urinary leakage need additional support.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the frequency of physical activity among female pelvic cancer survivors (i.e., gynecological, rectal, and anal cancer survivors) and to investigate if survivors who practiced physical activity less than once a week differed from survivors practicing physical activity at least once a week with respect to urinary and fecal leakage, clinical and sociodemographic characteristics, quality of life (QoL), and depressed and anxious mood. METHODS: Female pelvic cancer survivors (n = 578, mean age 64 years) answered a questionnaire 6-48 months after radiotherapy. A multivariable regression model analyzed factors covarying with frequency of physical activity. We compared QoL and depressed and anxious mood between women practicing physical activity at least or less than once a week. RESULTS: Of 568 women delivering data, 186 (33%) practiced physical activity less than once a week while 382 (67%) practiced physical activity at least weekly. Women who leaked a large or all volume of stools (p = 0.01), had just elementary school level of education (p < 0.001), smokers (p = 0.049), or had lymphedema without receiving lymphedema treatment (p = 0.030) were more likely to practice physical activity less than weekly (50%, 45%, 45%, and 37%, respectively) compared with other women. Women practicing physical activity at least weekly reported better QoL (p < 0.001) and lower frequency of depressed mood (p = 0.044) compared with the others. CONCLUSIONS: Female cancer survivors experiencing fecal leakage were less likely to practice weekly physical activity than survivors without leakage. The survivors practicing weekly physical activity experienced better QoL and experienced depressed mood less frequently than the others.

Experiences of incontinence and pelvic floor muscle training after gynaecologic cancer treatment.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study is to describe how gynaecological cancer survivors (GCS) experience incontinence in relation to quality of life, their possibilities for physical activity and exercise and their perceptions and experiences of pelvic floor muscle training. METHOD: This qualitative interview content analysis study included 13 women (48-82 age) with urinary (n = 10) or faecal (n = 3) incontinence after radiation therapy (n = 2), surgery (n = 5) and surgery and radiation therapy (n = 6) for gynaecological cancer, 0.5-21 years ago. RESULT: Symptoms related to incontinence and restrictions in daily activities reduced physical quality of life. Emotions related to incontinence reduced psychological quality of life and social and existential quality of life, due to restrictions in activity and feelings of exclusion. Practical and mental strategies for maintaining quality of life were described, such as always bringing a change of clothes and accepting the situation. Possibilities for sexual and physical activity as well as exercise were also restricted by incontinence. The women had little or no experience of pelvic floor muscle training but have a positive attitude towards trying it. They also described a lack of information about the risk of incontinence. The women were willing to spend both money and time on an effective treatment for their incontinence. Nine out of 10 were willing to spend at least 7 h a week. CONCLUSION: GCS experienced that incontinence reduced quality of life and limited possibilities for sexual and physical activity as well as exercise. Coping strategies, both practical and emotional, facilitated living with incontinence. The women had a positive attitude towards pelvic floor muscle training. Lack of information had a negative impact on their way of dealing with the situation.

WATER EXERCISE COMPARED TO LAND EXERCISE OR STANDARD CARE IN FEMALE CANCER SURVIVORS WITH SECONDARY LYMPHEDEMA.

There are few studies showing that physical exercise can improve secondary lymphedema. We hypothesized that water exercise would be more effective than land exercise in reducing limb volume. Secondary objectives were joint movement, BMI, daily function, well-being, and body image. Limb volume was measured with circumference or was volumetric. Well-being and body image were measured with a study-specific questionnaire and daily function with DASH and HOOS questionnaires. Eighty-eight eligible patients with secondary lymphedema after breast or gynecological cancer participated in this controlled clinical intervention study. There was a higher proportion of women who participated in water exercises who reduced their secondary arm limb volume (p = 0.029), and there were also significant differences for BMI (p = 0.047) and self-reported frequency of swelling (p = 0.031) in the water exercise group after intervention. Women with arm lymphedema in the land exercise group improved DASH scores (p = 0.047) and outer rotation in the shoulder (p = 0.001). Our results suggest that to reduce objective and self-reported swelling, lymphedema patients may be offered water exercise training while to improve daily shoulder function, land exercises are preferred. To guide female cancer survivors with lymphedema to effective exercise resulting in reduced limb volume and improved function, adequate evidenced-based programs are needed.

Late symptoms in long-term gynaecological cancer survivors after radiation therapy: a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: We surveyed the occurrence of physical symptoms among long-term gynaecological cancer survivors after pelvic radiation therapy, and compared with population-based control women. METHODS: We identified a cohort of 789 eligible gynaecological cancer survivors treated with pelvic radiation therapy alone or combined with surgery in Stockholm or Gothenburg, Sweden. A control group of 478 women was randomly sampled from the Swedish Population Registry. Data were collected through a study-specific validated postal questionnaire with 351 questions concerning gastrointestinal and urinary tract function, lymph oedema, pelvic bones and sexuality. Clinical characteristics and treatment details were retrieved from medical records. RESULTS: Participation rate was 78% for gynaecological cancer survivors and 72% for control women. Median follow-up time after treatment was 74 months. Cancer survivors reported a higher occurrence of symptoms from all organs studied. The highest age-adjusted relative risk (RR) was found for emptying of all stools into clothing without forewarning (RR 12.7), defaecation urgency (RR 5.7), difficulty feeling the need to empty the bladder (RR 2.8), protracted genital pain (RR 5.0), pubic pain when walking indoors (RR 4.9) and erysipelas on abdomen or legs at least once during the past 6 months (RR 3.6). Survivors treated with radiation therapy alone showed in general higher rates of symptoms. CONCLUSION: Gynaecological cancer survivors previously treated with pelvic radiation report a higher occurrence of symptoms from the urinary and gastrointestinal tract as well as lymph oedema, sexual dysfunction and pelvic pain compared with non-irradiated control women. Health-care providers need to actively ask patients about specific symptoms in order to provide proper diagnostic investigations and management.