Physical Activity and Survival in Cancer Patients

描述（由申请人提供）： 今天，美国有超过1000万癌症幸存者，有必要促进这些人的健康和福祉。延长癌症患者的生存期，包括预防第二原发性癌症和其他慢性疾病，如心血管疾病，是一个重要的目标。流行病学研究表明，体育活动可以预防几种癌症的发展。此外，在对普通人群（不关注癌症幸存者）的研究中，体力活动也被证明可以降低心血管疾病的发病率，心血管疾病是美国的主要死亡原因，并推迟死亡率。因此，似乎有理由认为，癌症患者的身体活动对生存有利。虽然一些研究表明，体育活动与癌症幸存者更好的生活质量有关，但几乎没有数据表明体育活动是否能改善这些人的生存率。为了提供信息，我们建议利用哈佛校友健康研究，一个正在进行的队列研究，以检查是否体力活动在男性癌症患者可以提高生存率。1988年，1,683名男性（平均年龄67岁）被医生诊断为癌症（诊断时间中位数为7年前），他们返回了一份健康问卷，其中包含有关身体活动的详细信息，以及其他健康习惯和病史。在调查问卷中，他们同意联系他们的医生。我们正在寻求资金，以确定从校友医生癌症阶段和治疗的信息。在1988年至1998年（可获得的最后一年随访）期间，566名男性死亡; 297人死于癌症。我们还寻求资金，以确定1998年以后至今这些人中发生的其他死亡事件。我们将获得死亡证明并确定死因。然后，我们将研究是否体力活动预测总生存率和生存率从癌症死亡率在这些人。我们将进一步研究提高生存率所需的体力活动的数量和种类。由于我们将在本申请中确定额外的死者，我们估计我们将有足够的把握度来进行相关假设。这项研究将增加重要的信息，因为美国有大量的癌症幸存者。这将有助于澄清身体活动，一种廉价的，可改变的行为，几乎没有副作用，是否可以延长癌症患者的生存期。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): More than 10 million cancer survivors are alive in the US today, and there is a need to promote the health and well being of these individuals. Prolonging the survival of cancer patients, including preventing a second primary cancer and other chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, is one important goal. Epidemiologic studies have shown that physical activity can prevent the development of several cancers. Additionally, in studies of the general population (not focusing on cancer survivors), physical activity also has been shown to decrease the rates of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death in the US, and to delay mortality. It would thus seem reasonable to assume that physical activity in cancer patients favorably affects survival. While several studies have shown that physical activity is associated with better quality of life in cancer survivors, there are almost no data regarding whether physical activity improves survival among these individuals. To provide information, we propose to take advantage of the Harvard Alumni Health Study, an ongoing cohort study, to examine whether physical activity in men with cancer can improve survival. In 1988, 1,683 men (mean age, 67 years) with physician-diagnosed cancer (diagnosed a median of 7 years ago), returned a health questionnaire with detailed information on physical activity, as well as other health habits and medical history. On the questionnaire, they provided consent to contact their physicians. We are seeking funds to ascertain information on cancer stage and treatment from alumni physicians. Between 1988 and 1998 (the last year of follow-up available), 566 men died; 297 from cancer. We also seek funds to ascertain additional deaths that occurred among these men after 1998 to the present. We will obtain death certificates and ascertain cause of death. We will then examine whether physical activity predicts overall survival and survival from cancer mortality among these men. We will further examine the amount and kinds of physical activity needed to improve survival. With the additional decedents that we will identify under this application, we estimate that we will have sufficient power for the hypotheses of interest. This study will add important information because of the large number of cancer survivors in the US. It will help clarify whether physical activity, an inexpensive, modifiable behavior with little adverse effect, can prolong survival in cancer patients.