RESUMEN
PURPOSE: Exercise levels often decline following cancer diagnosis despite growing evidence of its benefits. Treatment side effects, older age, lack of confidence and opportunity to exercise with others in similar circumstances influence this. Our study explored the experiences of people attending a cancer-specific community-based exercise programme (CU Fitter™). METHODS: A survey distributed to those attending the programme gathered demographic/clinical information, self-reported exercise levels, information provision and barriers to/benefits of exercise. RESULTS: Sixty surveys were evaluable from 65/100 returned (62% female, 68% > 60 years, 66% breast/prostate cancer). Most (68%) were receiving treatment. Sixty-eight percent attended classes once or twice weekly. Fifty-five percent received exercise advice after diagnosis, usually from their hospital doctor/nurse. More (73%) had read about exercising, but less used the Internet to source information (32%). Self-reported exercise levels were higher currently than before diagnosis (p = 0.05). Forty-eight percent said their primary barrier to exercising was the physical impact of cancer/treatment. Improving fitness/health (40%) and social support (16%) were the most important gains from the programme. Many (67%) had made other lifestyle changes and intented to keep (50%) or increase (30%) exercising. CONCLUSIONS: This community-based cancer-specific exercise approach engaged people with cancer and showed physical, psychological, and social benefits. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Community-grown exercise initiatives bring cancer survivors together creating their own supportive environment. Combining this with instructors familiar with the population and providing an open-ended service may prove particularly motivating and beneficial. Further work is required to provide evidence for this.
Asunto(s)
Supervivientes de Cáncer/psicología , Terapia por Ejercicio/psicología , Neoplasias/rehabilitación , Calidad de Vida/psicología , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Femenino , Conductas Relacionadas con la Salud , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH), substance P immuno-reactivity and choline acetyltransferase activity (CAT) were measured in post-mortem brains from 6 cases of Alzheimer-type dementia (ATD), 3 cases of Down's syndrome and 6 controls and in spinal cords from two cases of ATD and two controls. The activity of CAT was lower in posterior and anterior grey matter of lumbar spinal cord from two cases of ATD than from two controls. No significant differences were observed in the levels of the 3 peptides in the ATD, Down's and control brains and spinal cords, even in areas of ATD and Down's brain in which there were significant reductions in the activity of CAT or concentration of noradrenaline. These results show that TRH, LH-RH and substance P are not affected in ATD and Down's syndrome either as a consequence of a direct effect on the peptidergic neurone or of a secondary effect related to the loss of CAT activity and noradrenaline.