Nutritional factors and lifestyle in prostate cancer patients

• Main Author: Haseen, Farhana
• Published: Queen's University Belfast 2011
• Subjects: 616.994
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.546356

Prostate cancer is the most common male cancer in the UK. A healthy diet and lifestyle may have the potential to impact upon cancer progression, treatment related side effects, and comorbidities as well as on quality of life in prostate cancer patients. Nutrition and lifestyle behaviours are therefore important aspects to consider in the treatment of prostate cancer patients. The broad aims of this thesis were to explore the importance of health behaviours in prostate cancer patients and to identify and test a suitable intervention specifically for those who are treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). To achieve these aims this thesis has documented the findings of the following studies investigating nutritional and life-style behaviours in prostate cancer patients. 1) Using the cross-sectional population-based data from California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), diet and health behaviours in men with prostate cancer were compared to men with cancer other than prostate and to non-cancer controls. No differences were noted between prostate cancer patients and controls with respect to their dietary intake and physical activity levels. 2) A systematic review was conducted to determine the effects of ADT on body composition in prostate cancer patients. Significant increases in fat and declines in lean mass were observed in prostate cancer patients treated with ADT. 3) A systematic review of the literature related to lycopene intake and prostate cancer progression suggested that evidence available to date was insufficient to draw any firm conclusions regarding the benefits of lycopene supplementation in prostate cancer patients. 4) Preliminary analysis of a RCT of a 6-month dietary and physical activity intervention in prostate cancer patients treated with ADT showed that the intervention group had significant improvements in their body composition compared with controls. Physical activity, functional capacity and dietary quality also improved in the intervention group compared with controls. Recruitment to this trial is ongoing.