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Health behaviors of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer survivors

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Abstract

Introduction

Lung cancer survivors are at risk for cancer recurrence and other chronic illnesses related predominantly to prior tobacco use and older age. Optimal quality of post-treatment care requires greater knowledge of survivors’ adherence to behavioral health recommendations. This study reports the rates of smoking, physical activity, alcohol use, cancer screenings, and routine primary care visits in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) survivors.

Methods

Stage IA and IB NSCLC survivors (N = 183, mean age = 69.0 years) with no evidence of disease 1–6 years post-treatment completed standard survey items regarding health and cancer screening behaviors.

Results

Most survivors (83.5%) had a history of smoking, but 64.8% quit prior to diagnosis and only 5.5% continued to smoke. Alcohol intake recommendations were exceeded by 5.4% and 17.3% of men and women, respectively. In a typical week, 23.1% met physical activity guidelines. Regarding cancer screenings, 89.3% were adherent to colorectal cancer screening guidelines. Among women, 72.0% had a mammogram within the previous year and 81.5% had a pap test in the previous 3 years; among men, 86.7% had a prostate-specific antigen test in the previous year. Almost all (97.3%) had seen a primary care provider in the past year.

Discussions/conclusions

The majority of lung cancer survivors were adherent to health promotion recommendations, but few engaged in the recommended level of physical activity.

Implications for cancer survivors

Physical and pulmonary rehabilitation interventions may help lung cancer survivors maintain sufficient levels of physical activity, which can have numerous benefits for older adults.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by grant T32CA009461 from the National Cancer Institute and the Byrne Fund. This publication also acknowledges P30 CA08748 which provides partial support for the Behavioral Research Methods Core. We thank Melissa Ozim and Syncia Sabain for their assistance with data collection and management and the study participants for their valued contribution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Paul Krebs, Jack E. Burkhalter & Jamie S. Ostroff

  2. The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Department of Medicine, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA

    Elliot J. Coups

  3. Department of Health Education and Behavioral Science, UMDNJ-School of Public Health, New Brunswick, NJ, USA

    Elliot J. Coups

  4. Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Marc B. Feinstein & Richard M. Steingart

  5. Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA

    Amy Logue

  6. Department of Thoracic Surgery, Hackensack University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

    Bernard J. Park

  7. New York University School of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, 423 23rd Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY, 10010, USA

    Paul Krebs

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  1. Paul Krebs
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Correspondence to Paul Krebs.

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Krebs, P., Coups, E.J., Feinstein, M.B. et al. Health behaviors of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer survivors. J Cancer Surviv 6, 37–44 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-011-0191-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-011-0191-9

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