e-Poster Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2021

Assessing diet and physical activity with bone, muscle and vascular health during and after radiotherapy for cancer (#398)

Jack Dalla Via 1 , Mary A Kennedy 1 , Nina Stewart 2 , Yvonne Zissiadis 2 , Joshua R Lewis 1 3 4
  1. Institute for Nutrition Research, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Perth, WA, Australia
  2. Radiation Oncology, GenesisCare, Perth, WA, Australia
  3. Medical School, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
  4. Centre for Kidney Research, Children's Hospital at Westmead School of Public Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Background: Although highly effective at improving cancer-specific survival, many common cancer treatments have adverse side-effects that increase the risk of cardiovascular and musculoskeletal disorders. Lifestyle behaviours such as suboptimal diet and insufficient physical activity, which are common among cancer survivors, may exacerbate these adverse effects. Arterial calcification can be assessed in many ways, with computed tomography for coronary artery calcification (CAC) the most common. Abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) also strongly predicts cardiovascular disease (CVD) hospitalisations and deaths in the general population. AAC can be assessed with low radiation using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) machines that can also measure bone density and body composition, so may be a practical way to screen for and monitor elevated CVD and musculoskeletal risk in cancer survivors. Cancer treatment combined with the detection of raised arterial calcification may act as a teachable moment to promote healthful behaviour change into survivorship.

Aim: To investigate AAC, bone density, body composition and lifestyle factors related to cardiovascular and musculoskeletal health in cancer survivors undergoing radiotherapy. This is a sub-study of a national project led by GenesisCare investigating CAC from thoracic radiotherapy planning scans to identify patients at increased cardiac event risk.

Methods: We plan to recruit approximately 50 cancer survivors commencing radiotherapy. We will assess AAC, bone density and body composition using DXA, and diet and physical activity using questionnaires at enrolment and after 12-months. Selected participants will complete qualitative interviews following treatment about their experiences receiving diet and physical activity advice, to explore ways to improve survivorship care pathways.

Implications: This study will be among the first to investigate AAC assessment as a practical tool to identify and monitor vascular disease in cancer survivors. It will also help to understand the role of diet and physical activity behaviours and inform future care pathways to enhance cancer survivorship.