Physical activity, return to work self-efficacy, and work status among employees undergoing chemotherapy for cancer - a prospective study with 12 months follow-up

Background: Numerous studies emphasize the positive effects of physical activity on health and well-being in cancer patients. The effects of physical activity on the working lives of cancer patients have received less attention. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between physical activity and work status in employees with cancer, and the mediating role of return to work self-efficacy (RTWSE) in this association. Methods: Data from questionnaires (physical activity, RTWSE, performance status, sociodemographic), patient records, and Danish national registries (work status, education) were collected for 217 employees initiating chemotherapy for cancer. The associations of physical activity at baseline with work status at baseline and at twelve months follow-up, respectively, were estimated with logistic regression. The mediating role of RTWSE was investigated using the Sobel Goodmann test. Results: Employees with moderate (> 30 min/day) or high (> 150 min/day) levels of current daily activity at baseline had significantly increased odds for working at baseline (OR = 2.83, 95%CI = 0.73–10.96 and OR = 6.13, 95%CI = 1.68–22.40, respectively) and at twelve months (OR = 3.90, 95%CI = 1.19–12.77 and OR = 3.43, 95%CI = 1.12–10.51, respectively), compared to sedentary employees. Likewise, employees, physically active in their leisure time (light or vigorous psychical activity) for 2–4 h/week or > 4 h/week of light activity at baseline, had increased odds for working at twelve months (OR range = 1.20 (95%CI = 0.40–3.61)–5.39(95%CI = 0.78–37.32)), compared to sedentary employees. RTWSE was not found to mediate the observed associations. Conclusions: Physical activity appears positively associated with work status in employees undergoing treatment for cancer in the twelve months period after initiating chemotherapy

Male breast cancer: a nation-wide population-based comparison with female breast cancer

<p><b>Objective:</b> Describe prognostic parameters of Danish male breast cancer patients (MBCP) diagnosed from 1980–2009. Determine all-cause mortality compared to the general male population and analyze survival/mortality compared with Danish female breast cancer patients (FBCP) in the same period.</p> <p><b>Material and methods:</b> The MBCP cohort was defined from three national registers. Data was extracted from medical journals. Data for FBCP is from the DBCG database. Overall survival (OS) was quantified by Kaplan–Meier estimates. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated based on mortality rate among patients relative to the mortality rate in the general population. The association between SMR and risk factors were analyzed in univariate and multivariable Poisson regression models. Separate models for each gender were used for the analyses.</p> <p><b>Results:</b> We found a marked difference in OS for the two genders. For the total population of MBCP, 5- and 10-year survivals were 55.1% and 31.7%, respectively. For FBCP, the corresponding figures were 76.8% and 59.3%. Median age at diagnosis for FBCP was 61 years and 70 years for MBCP. By applying SMR, the difference in mortality between genders equalized and showed pronounced age-dependency. For males <40 years, SMR was 9.43 and for females 19.56 compared to SMR for males 80 + years (0.95) and females 80 + years (0.89). During the period 1980–2009, the risk of dying gradually decreased for FBCP (<i>p</i> < .0001). The risk 1980–1984 was 35% higher than 2005–2009 (RR 1.35). Although the risk of dying for MBCP was also lowest in 2005–2009, there was no clear tendency (<i>p</i> = .1439). The risk was highest in 1990–1994 (RR =2.48).</p> <p><b>Conclusion:</b> We found better OS for FBCP than for MBCP. But SMR showed similar mortality rate for the two genders, except for very young FBCP, who had higher SMR. Furthermore, significantly improved survival over time for FBCP was observed, with no clear tendency for MBCP.</p

Male breast cancer: a nation-wide population-based comparison with female breast cancer

Objective: Describe prognostic parameters of Danish male breast cancer patients (MBCP) diagnosed from 1980–2009. Determine all-cause mortality compared to the general male population and analyze survival/mortality compared with Danish female breast cancer patients (FBCP) in the same period. Material and methods: The MBCP cohort was defined from three national registers. Data was extracted from medical journals. Data for FBCP is from the DBCG database. Overall survival (OS) was quantified by Kaplan–Meier estimates. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated based on mortality rate among patients relative to the mortality rate in the general population. The association between SMR and risk factors were analyzed in univariate and multivariable Poisson regression models. Separate models for each gender were used for the analyses. Results: We found a marked difference in OS for the two genders. For the total population of MBCP, 5- and 10-year survivals were 55.1% and 31.7%, respectively. For FBCP, the corresponding figures were 76.8% and 59.3%. Median age at diagnosis for FBCP was 61 years and 70 years for MBCP. By applying SMR, the difference in mortality between genders equalized and showed pronounced age-dependency. For male

Male breast cancer: a nation-wide population-based comparison with female breast cancer

Objective: Describe prognostic parameters of Danish male breast cancer patients (MBCP) diagnosed from 1980–2009. Determine all-cause mortality compared to the general male population and analyze survival/mortality compared with Danish female breast cancer patients (FBCP) in the same period. Material and methods: The MBCP cohort was defined from three national registers. Data was extracted from medical journals. Data for FBCP is from the DBCG database. Overall survival (OS) was quantified by Kaplan–Meier estimates. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were calculated based on mortality rate among patients relative to the mortality rate in the general population. The association between SMR and risk factors were analyzed in univariate and multivariable Poisson regression models. Separate models for each gender were used for the analyses. Results: We found a marked difference in OS for the two genders. For the total population of MBCP, 5- and 10-year survivals were 55.1% and 31.7%, respectively. For FBCP, the corresponding figures were 76.8% and 59.3%. Median age at diagnosis for FBCP was 61 years and 70 years for MBCP. By applying SMR, the difference in mortality between genders equalized and showed pronounced age-dependency. For male