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

Lifestyle Medicine after Breast Cancer Treatment: A Pilot Program (#382)

Nicole Sirotin 1 , Rahat Ghazanfar 1 , Andreea Trasca 1
  1. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates

Aims: Successful lifestyle interventions in women with breast cancer, including increased physical activity and adherence to the Mediterranean diet, may reduce the recurrence of breast cancer, cancer specific mortality, and all-cause mortality between 38-45%1-6.  Obesity at the time of breast cancer diagnosis is linked to increased rates of breast cancer recurrence and decreased survival7,8.  Oncology programs would benefit patients by addressing lifestyle related risk factors of cancer recurrence and mortality.  We designed a Lifestyle Medicine after Breast Cancer pilot program to improve cardiometabolic health and decrease risk for breast cancer recurrence and mortality after breast cancer treatment.

Methods: Patients are referred by their oncologist after breast cancer treatment to the Lifestyle Medicine program in the Department of Preventive Medicine at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.  Details of current nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress and substance use are obtained by the Lifestyle Medicine certified physician. Body composition, BMI and cardiometabolic tests are obtained including lipid profile, HbA1%, high sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP), liver enzymes and liver elastography.  The physician provides Lifestyle Medicine counselling using principles of behavior change.  The patients are referred to a dietician and kinesiologist.  Follow up is scheduled at 6 weeks and 3 months with the physician.  Lifestyle behavior changes will be reassessed with each visit and laboratory tests will be repeated at 3 months.     

Results: The Lifestyle Medicine program utilizes 2 Board Certified Lifestyle Medicine physicians, one dietician and one kinesiologist.  24 women have been seen in the program thus far.  The average age is 50.  14/24 (58%) are below the age of 50.  12/24 (50%) completed at least 1 exercise session and 1 patient completed four.  11/24 (46%) completed the dietician visit.

Conclusions: The Lifestyle Medicine after Breast Cancer pilot program has introduced a comprehensive intervention to reduce lifestyle associated risk factors of breast cancer recurrence and mortality.

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