Evidence Update: Benefits of Exercise During Radiation Treatment
Many breast cancer patients experience fatigue during and after radiation therapy. A recent meta-analysis combined the results of many studies that assessed the effect of exercise during radiation on fatigue and quality of life among breast cancer patients. The results of nine studies were combined to include a total of 738 participants. The results showed that exercise was effective at reducing fatigue, particularly combined aerobic and resistance exercise. The authors concluded that exercise during radiation can be considered beneficial in breast cancer patients. TurningPoint’s weekly Friday Stretch and Strengthen class is a great way to get started on the path to reducing fatigue and feeling better during and after your breast cancer treatment! Lipsett A et al. The impact of exercise during adjuvant radiotherapy for breast cancer on fatigue and quality of life: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Breast. 2017. 8;32:144-155.
Evidence Update: Update on GA Tech Research at TurningPoint
LymphaTech Research Update Georgia Tech has been partnering with TurningPoint for a little over a year to research and develop a new low-cost, high-accuracy lymphedema measurement and monitoring tool using the Microsoft XBOX Kinect. To date, we have scanned over 120 TurningPoint patients, and the results we have collected so far are looking very promising. The LymphaTech volume and circumference measurements correlate well with those of the Perometer and support the use of modern 3D scanning technology for quantifying and tracking limb geometries. We are currently using the patient data collected from TurningPoint to build and refine the mathematical models and algorithms that will be used to compute the relevant clinical measurements. Our initial goal is to collect a data set of 200 patients to finalize the first version of the model, so we are well over half-way done! Excitingly, the work we have done thus far at TurningPoint has allowed us to apply for additional grants to expand the scope of our testing and the breadth of our applications. We have been able to increase the study to three additional clinical sites for patient testing, including the AVON Breast Center at Grady Memorial Hospital. We were also recently recruited to use the LymphaTech system as part of a Global Task Force and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation project to treat and monitor lymphedema in developing countries worldwide. The research we have performed at TurningPoint has contributed to cutting-edge advances in the standard of lymphedema care and is making a global impact! Mike Weiler, Ph.D. Co-Founder and CEO, LymphaTec hational Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow Georgia Institute of Technology
Patient Perspective: Peggy
September 2015 started out just like any other month. That was until I noticed some skin changes and saw my doctor. He sent me to have a mammogram and biopsies to discover what was happening. When I heard the words “you have cancer” it turned my world upside down. How would I tell my family? I have two boys and a husband that depend on me. Being very active at the time, I wondered how my life would change. It was determined that I would need aggressive treatment. Intense chemotherapy and radiation left me with many issues such as burning and shooting pain in my right arm upon lifting and lymphedema in my right arm. While shopping, I could not lift my arm to reach the top shelf. When I went to TurningPoint for help with my lymphedema, they took the time to evaluate me to see what my issues were. Their therapists were compassionate and put me at ease. TurningPoint determined that I did not have nerve damage, but had bad cording in my right arm. I was ecstatic when I heard they could work with me to get full mobility of my arm and remove the pain. TurningPoint fitted me for my glove and sleeve, and now my arm no longer swells while walking. The exercises they taught me keep my arm flexible and strong. Shopping is now a breeze and I can reach those top shelves. TurningPoint has allowed me to keep up with my hobbies. I enjoy painting with my pink sisters, keeping up with my family activities, cooking, playing with my toy poodle and helping others who have been diagnosed with cancer. TurningPoint has so many things to offer, from physical therapy to counseling services. At TurningPoint you are more than a patient, you are a person and a friend. The massage therapy keeps you physically able to do the things you love and the dietitian shows how to boost your immune system and reduce side-effects of chemotherapy. The counseling services help you cope and manage your stress. TurningPoint gave me my life back and I cannot thank them enough. I hope all women with breast cancer learn about TurningPoint because they provide the means to get your life back on track, and everyone deserves a chance to have a happy and healthy life.
March is National Nutrition Month®
Q: What is special about National Nutrition Month®? A: “Put Your Best Fork Forward”! National Nutrition Month® is a nutrition education campaign created every year in March by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. During the month of March we focus on the importance of making informed food choices. “Put Your Best Fork Forward” is this year’s theme, which serves as a reminder that each one of us holds the tool to make healthier food choices. Making small changes during National Nutrition Month®, and over time, helps improve health now and into the future. Evidence has proven that making dietary and lifestyle changes can prevent diseases even before they occur, and for cancer survivors this means a decreased chance for recurrence. Often times my patients come to see me frustrated and confused by all the conflicting nutrition information they’ve read or heard about on the internet, not to mention the “free” nutrition advice from family and friends. They are stressed, worried and fearful of eating the wrong thing, and come for guidance and clarification on what they should be eating. My approach is simple, make small changes and set attainable goals. Small changes reap large rewards, and simple, attainable goals are worth their weight in gold. My focus is to cut out foods that cause inflammation and add foods that decrease inflammation. The first step in doing this it to incorporate more plant-based foods, whole fruits and vegetables in particular. If there’s only one thing you’re willing to change, increased consumption of whole fruits and vegetables is one to work on. Striving to get a variety of color on your plate daily is an easy goal to attain. Variety is key. Each fruit and vegetable has a different vitamin and mineral profile, and by eating a rainbow of color every day you’re guaranteed the best benefit from your efforts. Try to incorporate the following colors daily. Nutrients in Red Fruits and Vegetables Include: Lycopene, ellagic acid, Quercetin, and Hesperidin, to name a few. These nutrients reduce the risk of prostate cancer, lower blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol levels, scavenge harmful free radicals, and support healthy joints. Nutrients in Orange and Yellow Fruit and Vegetables Include: Beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, flavonoids, lycopene, potassium, and vitamin C. These nutrients reduce age-related macular degeneration and the risk of prostate cancer, lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure, promote collagen formation and healthy joints, fight harmful free radicals, encourage alkaline balance, and work with magnesium and calcium to build healthy bones. Nutrients in Green Vegetables and Fruit Include: Chlorophyll, fiber, lutein, zeaxanthin, calcium, folate, vitamin C, calcium, and Beta-carotene. The nutrients found in these vegetables reduce cancer risks, lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels, normalize digestion time, support retinal health and vision, fight harmful free radicals, and boost immune system activity Nutrients in White fruits and Vegetables Include: Beta-glucans, EGCG, SDG, and lignans that provide powerful immune boosting activity. These nutrients can reduce the risk of colon, breast, and prostate cancers. During National Nutrition Month and beyond, make small, healthier food choices, one forkful at a time.
