Research highlights the need for facilitation of healthy lifestyles to fight cancer

On World Cancer Day (4th February 2019), Flinders University’s Professor Bogda Koczwara, Head of the Cancer Survivorship Research Group at the Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer, notes that facilitating a healthy lifestyle following a cancer diagnosis is just as significant as its role in minimising cancer risk.

Professor Koczwara is passionate about the role of society and government in achieving healthy outcomes.

More than one million Australians live with cancer at any one time, and the five-year survival rate from all cancers combined is 68% – an improvement of 50% since 1984 – so the role of a healthy lifestyle in maintaining quality of life and keeping other conditions at bay should be top of mind for doctors and cancer survivors.

“We have an individual responsibility but we also have a societal responsibility and that’s where community activites such as food coops, community gardens, community exercise events and policy decisions are important,” said Professor Koczwara.

“It is not about getting people to pay big bucks for gym memberships, but rather facilitating healthy lifestyles that are simple, safe and affordable.”

“We know that if you have a healthy diet and lifestyle you are likely to cope better with treatment, have improved survival prospects, and fewer problems with the side effects of cancer treatment.”

•    9.6 million people die from cancer every year.
•    At least one third of common cancers are preventable.
•    Cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide.
•    70% of cancer deaths occur in low-to-middle income countries.
•    Up to 3.7 million lives could be saved each year by implementing resource appropriate strategies for prevention, early detection and treatment.
•    The total annual economic cost of cancer is estimated at US$1.16 trillion (source #WorldCancerDay).

Some of the resources available to help cancer survivors look after their health included the Finding My Way Program (findingmyway.org.au), a free online resource developed at Flinders University and used by the Cancer Council in Australia and overseas) and the Healthy Living After Cancer telephone consultation program, which is also available through the Cancer Council.