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Purpose: The current study examined the relationships between religious resources (i.e., certainty of belief in God and attendance at religious services), religious struggle (e.g., belief that cancer is evidence of God's punishment or abandonment), and physical and mental health-related quality of life (HRQoL), including fear of cancer recurrence (FCR), in a large, geographically and clinically diverse sample of long-term survivors of cancer. Methods: Participants were 2021 9-year survivors of cancer from the American Cancer Society's Study of Cancer Survivors – I. Religious resources included belief in God and attendance at religious services. Items from the Brief RCOPE and the PROMIS Psychosocial Impact of Illness were combined to assess religious struggle. Survivors also completed the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory, SF-12, and Meaning and Peace subscales of the FACIT-Sp. Regression models were used to predict HRQoL and FCR from religious resources and struggle. Results: In multivariable models, certain belief in God predicted greater mental HRQoL (B = 1.99, p <.01), and attendance at religious services was associated with greater FCR (B =.80, p <.05) as well as better mental (B =.34, p <.01) and physical (B =.29, p <.05) HRQoL. In addition, religious struggle predicted greater FCR (B = 1.32, p <.001) and poorer mental (B = −.59, p <.001) and physical (B = −.29, p <.001) HRQoL. Many of these relationships were mediated through Meaning. Conclusions: With the exception of FCR, religious resources predicted better HRQoL outcomes in these long-term survivors of cancer. Conversely, religious struggle consistently predicted poorer HRQoL, including greater FCR. Implications for Cancer Survivors: Given the documented importance of its role in coping with the cancer experience, religion/spirituality should be a consideration in every survivorship care plan. Multidisciplinary assessment and support of religious resources and identification of and referral for religious struggle are needed to ensure the well-being of most long-term survivors of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background : This pilot study explored the feasibility, acceptability, and usability of a web-based intervention for survivors of physical inactivity-related cancers through a two-arm, 12-week randomized controlled trial. Secondarily, this study tested the change in physical activity (PA) and sedentary time with intervention exposure. Methods: Prior to randomization to the intervention (n = 45) or behavior "as usual" wait-listed control (n = 40) groups, participants completed baseline surveys and an accelerometer protocol. The intervention focused on increasing PA and decreasing sedentary time through social cognitive theory techniques. Follow-up acceptability/usability surveys (intervention group only) and accelerometers were sent after the intervention period. Information on intervention completion, adverse events, and user statistics were collected to determine feasibility. Median login time and mean acceptability/usability scores were calculated. Results: Participants (mean age = 60 ± 7 years) included female (n = 80, 94%) and male survivors of breast (82%), colon (6%), endometrial (6%), bladder (4%), and kidney (2%) cancer. Seventy-eight (91.7%) participants returned partially or fully complete post-intervention data. There were no reported injuries or safety concerns. Intervention participants logged into the website for a total of 95 min (Q1, Q3 = 11, 204). System usability scores (72 ± 3) indicated above average usability of the website. Changes in time spent active and sedentary were not statistically significantly different between groups (p = 0.45), but within-group changes suggested intervention group participants spent more time active and less time sedentary after the intervention. Conclusion: Results of this pilot study suggest its feasibility and acceptability for survivors of several inactivity-related cancers. Additional research to determine long-term efficacy is warranted. This low-cost online-only intervention has the potential to have a very broad reach. Trial Registration: Clinical Trials Number: NCT03983083. Date registered: June 12th, 2019 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public health concerns regarding opioids and marijuana have implications for their medical use. This study examined use motives and perceived barriers in relation to opioid and marijuana use and interest in use among US adult cancer survivors. Self-administered surveys were distributed using social media to assess use motives and perceived barriers among participants living with cancer. Overall, 40.9% of cancer survivors reported current (past 30-day) use of opioids, 42.5% used marijuana, and 39.7% used both. The most common use motives for either/both drugs were to cope with pain and stress/anxiety (>70%). Highest-rated barriers to using either/both drugs were missing symptoms of worsening illness and not wanting to talk about their symptoms. Controlling for sociodemographics, binary logistic regression indicated that current opioid use was associated with reporting greater barriers to use (OR = 1.17, p =.011; Nagelkerke R-square =.934) and that current marijuana use was associated with reporting greater barriers to use (OR = 1.37, p =.003; Nagelkerke R-square =.921). Cancer survivors report various use motives and barriers to use regarding opioids and marijuana. While use motives and barriers for both drugs were similar, these constructs were differentially associated with use and interest in use across drugs. Understanding patients' perceptions about opioids and marijuana is an essential component to effectively manage symptoms related to a cancer diagnosis and improve quality of life for cancer survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Survivors of multiple primary cancers make up a sizable proportion of all cancer survivors, yet little is known about the health of this population. We examined the prevalence of medical conditions and physical function deficits among multiple primary survivors compared with single primary survivors and individuals without a cancer history. Methods: Participants were enrolled in the Cancer Prevention Study (CPS)-II Nutrition Cohort in 1992/1993. Prevalent medical conditions (diabetes, heart conditions, cerebrovascular conditions, emphysema/chronic bronchitis, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis), physical function limitations, use of a cane or walker, balance difficulties, and falls within the past year were assessed on a follow-up survey completed in 2011. We estimated age- and sex-adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs), comparing multiple primary survivors (N = 1003) to single primary survivors (N = 12,849) and participants without cancer (N = 63,578). Results: The prevalence of medical conditions did not differ substantially between multiple primary survivors and either comparison group. However, multiple primary survivors were more likely to report severe limitations in physical function than the single primary (PR = 1.48 (95% CI, 1.28–1.71)) and no-cancer (PR = 1.64 (95% CI, 1.42–1.88)) groups. Using a cane or walker and balance difficulties were also significantly more common among multiple primary survivors. Conclusions: Despite a similar prevalence of comorbid medical conditions, severe functional limitations were significantly more common among multiple primary survivors than single primary survivors or individuals without cancer. Implications for Cancer Survivors: Assessment of functional status and treatment of physical deficits may be an especially critical component of care for older patients with a history of multiple cancer diagnoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to risk for treatment-related late effects and concerns about cancer recurrence, long-term cancer survivors have unique medical needs. Survivors' preferences for care may influence adherence and care utilization.Objective: To describe survivors' preferences for care and factors associated with preferred and actual care.Design: Cross-sectional analysis of participants in a longitudinal study using mailed questionnaires.Participants: Survivors of ten common cancers (n = 2,107, mean years from diagnosis 8.9).Main Measures: (1) Survivors' preferences for primary care physician (PCP) and oncologist responsibilities across four types of care: cancer follow-up, cancer screening, preventive health, and comorbid conditions. (2) Survivor-reported visits to PCPs and oncologists.Key Results: The response rate was 42.1%. Most long-term survivors preferred PCPs and oncologists share care for cancer follow-up (63%) and subsequent screening (65%), while preferring PCP-led preventive health (77%) and comorbid condition (83%) care. Most survivors (88%) preferred oncologists involved in cancer follow-up care, but only 60% reported an oncologist visit in the previous 4 years, and 96% reported a PCP visit in the previous 4 years. In multivariable regressions, those with higher fear of cancer recurrence were less likely to prefer PCP-led cancer follow-up care (OR = 0.96, CI = 0.93-0.98), as did survivors with advanced cancer stage (OR = 0.56, CI = 0.39-0.79). Those with higher fear of recurrence (OR = 1.03, CI = 1.01-1.04) or who preferred oncologist-led cancer follow-up care (OR = 2.08, CI = 1.63-2.65) had greater odds of seeing an oncologist in the last 4 years.Conclusions: Most cancer survivors preferred PCPs and oncologists share care for cancer follow-up and screening, yet many had not seen an oncologist recently. Survivors preferred PCP-led care for other preventive services and management of comorbid conditions. These findings highlight the important role PCPs could play in survivor care, suggesting the need for PCP-oriented education and health system policies that support high-quality PCP-led survivor care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Nearly half of the 3.5 million female breast cancer survivors in the US are aged 65 years or older at diagnosis, yet little is known about associations of obesity and physical activity with breast cancer-specific mortality (BCSM) among older survivors.Methods: Between 1992 and 2013, 5254 women in the Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort were diagnosed with local or regional breast cancer among whom 1771 deaths (505 breast cancer deaths) occurred. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to examine associations of pre- and post-diagnosis body mass index (BMI) and moderate–vigorous physical activity (MET-hours/week) with mortality outcomes stratified by age at diagnosis (<65, ≥65 years).Results: Among women ≥65 years of age at diagnosis (n = 4226), pre- and post-diagnosis BMI (per 5 kg/m2) were associated with a higher risk of BCSM (pre-diagnosis, HR 1.27, 95% CI 1.14–1.41; post-diagnosis, HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.04, 1.36); neither pre- nor post-diagnosis physical activity was associated with BCSM. Among women <65 years of age at diagnosis (n = 1028), BMI at both time points were not significantly associated with BCSM; however, there was a significant inverse trend of post-diagnosis physical activity with BCSM (P-trend = 0.01). Among both age groups, BMI and physical activity, regardless of when assessed, were significantly associated with all-cause mortality.Conclusions: Higher BMI, pre- or post-diagnosis, was associated with a higher risk of BCSM in older patients, independent of comorbidities and stage at diagnosis. Weight management should be discussed even with women aged 65 years or older to lower rates of BCSM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to article "Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Efficacy of a Web-based Physical Activity and Sedentary Time Intervention for Survivors of Physical Inactivity-related Cancers" published in a previous issue of the periodical is presented .