ASPO Abstracts

Restoring Balance, a physical activity intervention for Native cancer survivors and their familial support persons (NNR.14.192)

Authors: Lane T, de Heer H, Schwartz A, Charley B, Yazzie E, Yellowhair J, Hudson J, Mitchell M, Wertheim BC, Bea JW

Category: Lifestyles Behavior, Energy Balance & Chemoprevention
Conference Year: 2020

Abstract Body:
Though physical activity improves survivorship, no studies have focused on Native American cancer survivors. Methods: Native cancer survivors and family members were enrolled in a 12-week multi-site, randomized supervised and home-based physical activity intervention (n = 63). The intervention included 1d/wk supervised resistance, aerobic, flexibility, and balance and 2-5 days/wk of home-based exercise. National guidelines for survivorship exercise training were culturally tailored based focus groups and interviews, as well as cultural expert program review by representatives from 10 tribes. Preliminary descriptive statistics (mean, SD) and twelve-week changes in weight (kg), BMI (kg/m2), fat mass by bioelectrical impedance (%), metabolic function by HbA1c (%), fitness by 6min walk test (meters), and quality of life by PROMIS10 questionnaire score have been assessed by paired t-test. Results: Cancer survivor mean age was 57.7 &plusmn; 12.1 years. Familial support persons were aged 40.1 &plusmn; 14.8 years. For cancer survivors, tumor types were breast (24%), colorectal (26%), gynecologic (8%), hematologic (8%), stomach (5%), lung (5%), and other varied cancers (24%). Significant improvements in fitness occurred in both survivors and familial support persons (6min walk distance +68.2 &plusmn; 111m and 60.1 &plusmn; 57.6m, respectively; p<0.05). Familial support persons also experienced significant improvements in HbA1c (-0.4 &plusmn; 0.7%) and quality of life scores (2.2 &plusmn; 4.2; p<0.05). Non-significant improvement in quality of life scores was demonstrated among survivors (1.4 &plusmn; 5.9). Non-significant reductions in BMI (-2.8 &plusmn; 9.9) and fat mass (-0.6 &plusmn; 1.9%) were demonstrated among familial support persons. Conclusions: Physical activity improves fitness in Native cancer survivorship, which may be shown to influence other important health outcomes with a longer intervention or greater follow-up. Cancer risk biomarkers reductions with physical activity among Native family members of cancer survivors may have a meaningful impact on cancer prevention in this population with shared heritable and environmental risks.

Keywords: American Indian, cancer survivorship, cancer prevention, physical activity, biomarkers