Introduction: Five-year survival of people diagnosed with cancer has increased in past decades. Knowledge of the long-term effects of cancer treatment on fitness, body composition and health related quality of life (HR-QoL) is important for cancer patients. The study aimed to evaluate body composition, HR-QoL and personality D of people post cancer treatment in the last 10 years; and to observe whether fitness was correlated with body composition and HR-QoL amongst them.

Material and methods: Eighty participants 25 - 77 y/o of both genders in remission from cancer answered questionnaires on HR-QoL (SF-36v2 and EQ-5D-3L), personality D (DS¹⁴), general health, lifestyle and cancer treatment. Participants had their blood pressure measured, conducted the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and had their body composition meas­ured: body mass index, body fat percentage, waist and hip circumferences. SPSS was used for statistical analysis.

Results: Approximately 2/3 of the participants had body composition over recommended values. Over half were overweight or obese. 66.3% had waist circumference over recommended values and 45.0% had waist/hip ratio over recommended values. 6MWT average distance was 634 m +/- 83 m. Significant correlation (p<0.05) was found between 6MWT and body composition and most categories of HR-QoL. ­Increased fitness correlated with better body composition and higher HR-QoL. Only 13.8% of participants showed personality D.

Conclusion: Cancer survivor‘s body composition is generally not at its best. It is important that people diagnosed with cancer are informed on the importance of healthy body composition. Fitness is an indicator for HR-QoL and body composition of cancer survivors.

Table I Most common cancers and medical treatments

Table II Mean values for age, body composition, fitness and health related quality of life scores among participants

Table III Amount of participants within and outside of recommended values for body composition and the DS 14 questionnaire

Table IV Correiation between fitness and body composition for both sexes according to pearson's Correlation

Table V Correlotion between Fitness, body Composition and Health Related Quality of life among Men 

Talbe VI Correlation between Fitness, Body Composition and Health Ralated Quality of life among women