http://www.epilepsiaecuador.org/campusabbot/modulos/documentos/modulo5_LECTURA_2.pdf

Epidemiology of brain tumors

While long-term survivors (5 years+) do not face the stressors of diagnosis and treatment, they continue to face the uncertainties that survivorship brings: recurrence, other cancers, late effects of treatment, and the potential of a shortened life expectancy. This research focuses on the cancer-related health worries of older adult, long-term cancer survivors, the factors that predict these worries, and their link to traditional measures of psychological distress. Specifically, a model is proposed that identifies the personal (including race and gender) and illness/treatment characteristics of survivors that are significantly associated with cancer-related health worries and their effects on anxiety and depression. Descriptive and multivariate analyses of a random sample of 321 long-term survivors in a major cancer center tumor registry are used to address these issues. About one-third of survivors continue to report worries about recurrence, worries about a second cancer, and worries that symptoms they experience may be from cancer. The regression analyses show that cancer-related health worries is a significant predictor of both depression (beta=0.36) and anxiety (beta=0.21). Race is a significant predictor; being African American is related to fewer cancer-related health worries (beta=−0.22). Having more symptoms during treatment is also a predictor of having more cancer-related health worries (beta=0.20). The most consistent predictor of psychosocial distress is dispositional optimism/pessimism, with more optimistic individuals reporting fewer cancer-related health worries (beta=−0.27), lower levels of both anxiety (beta=−0.16) and depression (beta=−0.23). Overall, for many older adult, long-term survivors, the legacy of cancer continues in terms of cancer-related health worries. In spite of these, for most survivors, their quality of life is not dramatically compromised either physically or psychologically. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cancer-related health worries and psychological distress among older adult, long-term cancer survivors.

BACKGROUND.
Cancer affects not only the quality of life (QOL) of individuals with the disease but also that of their family members and close friends. The impact on various aspects of the family caregivers' QOL is significant throughout the trajectory of the illness. The authors reviewed literature on the QOL of family caregivers at the acute and middle- to long-term survivorship phases as well as the bereavement phase.

METHODS.
By using several databases, the authors searched the literature published in English from 1996 through July 2007. Keywords searched included cancer, carcinoma, family, family member, caregivers, and quality of life. Several criteria were used to guide the literature review: Articles had to be published in refereed journals and had to use rigorous methods, sample, and validated measures.

RESULTS.
The findings suggested that the QOL of family caregivers of individuals with cancer varies along the illness trajectory. This highlights were importance of assessing the ongoing adjustment of the caregivers over time. However, there were few theory-driven studies, and significant gaps remain in the current understanding of the effects of family caregiving beyond the time of diagnosis and treatment.

CONCLUSIONS.
Accumulating evidence has supported the concept that cancer affects not only the patients/survivors but also their family members. However, theoretically and methodologically rigorous research on various aspects of the family's QOL, including not only the psychological but also the physical, spiritual, and behavioral adjustment to cancer in the family, remains sparse. Family-based interventions across the trajectory of the illness also are needed. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.

Quality of life of family caregivers of cancer survivors: across the trajectory of the illness.

Rates of obesity have increased significantly over the last three decades in the United States and globally. In addition to contributing to heart disease and diabetes, obesity is a major unrecognized risk factor for cancer. Obesity is associated with worsened prognosis after cancer diagnosis and also negatively affects the delivery of systemic therapy, contributes to morbidity of cancer treatment, and may raise the risk of second malignancies and comorbidities. Research shows that the time after a cancer diagnosis can serve as a teachable moment to motivate individuals to adopt risk-reducing behaviors. For this reason, the oncology care team—the providers with whom a patient has the closest relationships in the critical period after a cancer diagnosis—is in a unique position to help patients lose weight and make other healthy lifestyle changes. The American Society of Clinical Oncology is committed to reducing the impact of obesity on cancer and has established a multipronged initiative to accomplish this...

/pdf/american-society-of-clinical-oncology-position-statement-on-214yy0bhpg.pdf

American Society of Clinical Oncology Position Statement on Obesity and Cancer

BACKGROUND: Hispanics and Latinos (Hispanics) are estimated to represent 17.7% of the U.S. POPULATION: Published national health estimates stratified by Hispanic origin and nativity are lacking. METHODS: Four national data sets were analyzed to compare Hispanics overall, non-Hispanic whites (whites), and Hispanic country/region of origin subgroups (Hispanic origin subgroups) for leading causes of death, prevalence of diseases and associated risk factors, and use of health services. Analyses were generally restricted to ages 18-64 years and were further stratified when possible by sex and nativity. RESULTS: Hispanics were on average nearly 15 years younger than whites; they were more likely to live below the poverty line and not to have completed high school. Hispanics showed a 24% lower all-cause death rate and lower death rates for nine of the 15 leading causes of death, but higher death rates from diabetes (51% higher), chronic liver disease and cirrhosis (48%), essential hypertension and hypertensive renal disease (8%), and homicide (96%) and higher prevalence of diabetes (133%) and obesity (23%) compared with whites. In all, 41.5% of Hispanics lacked health insurance (15.1% of whites), and 15.5% of Hispanics reported delay or nonreceipt of needed medical care because of cost concerns (13.6% of whites). Among Hispanics, self-reported smoking prevalences varied by Hispanic origin and by sex. U.S.-born Hispanics had higher prevalences of obesity, hypertension, smoking, heart disease, and cancer than foreign-born Hispanics: 30% higher, 40%, 72%, 89%, and 93%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Hispanics had better health outcomes than whites for most analyzed health factors, despite facing worse socioeconomic barriers, but they had much higher death rates from diabetes, chronic liver disease/cirrhosis, and homicide, and a higher prevalence of obesity. There were substantial differences among Hispanics by origin, nativity, and sex. Implications for Public Health: Differences by origin, nativity, and sex are important considerations when targeting health programs to specific audiences. Increasing the proportions of Hispanics with health insurance and a medical home (patientcentered, team-based, comprehensive, coordinated health care with enhanced access) is critical. A feasible and systematic data collection strategy is needed to reflect health diversity among Hispanic origin subgroups, including by nativity. Language: en

http://www.cashe.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/CDC-Pages-17-26.pdf

Vital signs: leading causes of death, prevalence of diseases and risk factors, and use of health services among Hispanics in the United States - 2009-2013.

Catherine McMahon

Papers

Cancer Facts and Figures for Hispanics/Latinos 2015-2017