title: An evaluation of lower-body functional limitations among long-term survivors of 11 different types of cancers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The authors examined potential reasons (sociodemographics, psychologic distress, health behavior, chronic health conditions, access to medical care) for increased prevalence of lower-body functional limitations among long-term (> or =5 years) cancer survivors.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors used National Health Interview Survey data from 2005 through 2007, and defined lower-body functional limitation as reporting difficulty/inability to perform at least 1 of 5 activities (walking approximately one-quarter of a mile; walking up and down 10 steps without rest; standing for 2 hours; stooping, crouching, or kneeling; and lifting 10 lbs). Increased prevalence of lower-body functional limitations was compared between long-term survivors of each of 11 cancer types reported by > or =50 respondents (n = 2143) and persons without cancer history (controls; n = 72,618).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among cancer survivors, 57.0% had a lower-body functional limitation versus 26.6% of controls. The unadjusted prevalence of lower-body functional limitations varied by cancer type, ranging from 44.9% (lymphoma survivors) to 88.8% (lung cancer survivors). Long-term lung (odds ratio [OR], 7.91), uterine (OR, 2.41), thyroid (OR, 2.27), cervical (OR, 1.76), ovarian (OR, 1.75), and breast (OR, 1.35) cancer survivors had increased odds of reporting a lower-body functional limitation than controls after adjusting for sociodemographic factors (all P < .05). Differences in the prevalence of arthritis and lower-back pain and in access to medical care explained differences in lower-body functional limitation prevalence between controls and long-term breast, cervical, ovarian, and uterine cancer survivors. Long-term bladder, colorectal, lymphoma, melanoma, and prostate cancer survivors were equally likely to report a lower-body functional limitation as controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment of arthritis and lower-back pain and increasing access to medical care might help reduce the risk of lower-body functional limitations and improve quality of life among specific long-term cancer survivors.
authors.affiliation: Division of Health Behavior Research, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63108, USA. mschootm@dom.wustl.edu
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schootman
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aft
authors.forename: Donna B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Jeffe
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001168:Arthritis / Q000150:complications; D001416:Back Pain / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000503:physiopathology; D017770:Lifting; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D017741:Survivors; D016138:Walking
references.citation: Am J Epidemiol. 2006 Mar 1;163(5):450-8
references.pmid: 16421245
references.citation: Soc Sci Med. 1999 Feb;48(4):445-69
references.pmid: 10075171
references.citation: Am J Epidemiol. 2002 Mar 15;155(6):507-15
references.pmid: 11882524
references.citation: J Gerontol. 1991 Nov;46(6):S345-57
references.pmid: 1940101
references.citation: J Clin Oncol. 2007 May 10;25(14):1824-31
references.pmid: 17488980
references.citation: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2003 Jan;12(1):4-13
references.pmid: 12540497
references.citation: Med Care. 1996 Jan;34(1):73-84
references.pmid: 8551813
references.citation: Acta Oncol. 2000;39(2):173-80
references.pmid: 10859007
references.citation: Multivariate Behav Res. 2001 Apr 1;36(2):249-77
references.pmid: 26822111
references.citation: J Clin Rheumatol. 2008 Apr;14(2):121
references.pmid: 18391686
references.citation: J Am Geriatr Soc. 2005 Dec;53(12):2145-52
references.pmid: 16398900
references.citation: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2000 Jan;55(1):M43-52
references.pmid: 10719772
references.citation: Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2009 Apr 1;73(5):1501-9
references.pmid: 18823716
references.citation: Psychol Med. 2002 Aug;32(6):959-76
references.pmid: 12214795
references.citation: J Natl Cancer Inst. 2006 Apr 19;98(8):521-9
references.pmid: 16622121
references.citation: Arthritis Rheum. 2005 Apr;52(4):1274-82
references.pmid: 15818691
references.citation: J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2007 May;16(4):441-53
references.pmid: 17521246
references.citation: Ann Epidemiol. 2006 Mar;16(3):197-205
references.pmid: 16137893
references.citation: Maturitas. 1999 Jun 21;32(2):95-102
references.pmid: 10465377
references.citation: Psychosom Med. 2002 Jul-Aug;64(4):604-11
references.pmid: 12140350
references.citation: Eur J Health Econ. 2008 Jan;8 Suppl 2:S39-47
references.pmid: 18157733
references.citation: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2005 Feb;60(2):207-12
references.pmid: 15814864
references.citation: Milbank Mem Fund Q Health Soc. 1976 Fall;54(4):439-67
references.pmid: 137366
references.citation: Breast. 2007 Jun;16(3):223-34
references.pmid: 17368903
references.citation: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2003 Jan;58(1):82-91
references.pmid: 12560417
references.citation: J Clin Oncol. 2005 Dec 1;23(34):8884-93
references.pmid: 16314649
references.citation: Cancer. 2000 Dec 1;89(11):2176-86
references.pmid: 11147587
references.citation: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2003 Dec;58(12):M1119-24
references.pmid: 14684709
references.citation: Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2008 Sep-Oct;30(5):407-13
references.pmid: 18774423
references.citation: Am J Epidemiol. 2003 Mar 15;157(6):539-45
references.pmid: 12631544
references.citation: Soc Sci Med. 1994 Jan;38(1):1-14
references.pmid: 8146699
references.citation: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2007 Jan;62(1):101-6
references.pmid: 17301046