Relationship between balance function and QOL in cancer survivors and healthy subjects

• Published in: Medicine (Baltimore) Vol. 100; no. 46; p. e27822
• Main Authors: Morishita, Shinichiro, Hirabayashi, Ryo, Tsubaki, Atsuhiro, Aoki, Osamu, Fu, Jack B., Onishi, Hideaki, Tsuji, Tetsuya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 19.11.2021
• Subjects: Adult; Cancer Survivors - psychology; Female; Hand Strength; Healthy Volunteers; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Muscle Strength; Neoplasms - psychology; Neoplasms - therapy; Observational Study; Postural Balance - physiology; Prospective Studies; Quality of Life - psychology; Time and Motion Studies
• DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000027822
• ISSN: 0025-7974; 1536-5964

A previous study reported that cancer survivors exhibit decreased postural stability compared to age-matched controls. Another study showed that cancer survivors have a lower quality of life (QOL) compared to healthy subjects, and there was a significant relationship between muscle strength and QOL in cancer survivors. We aimed to investigate differences in the associations between balance function and QOL in cancer survivors and healthy subjects.Forty-one cancer survivors and 33 healthy subjects were included. Balance function was evaluated using the timed up and go test, and body sway was tested using a force platform. QOL was assessed using the medical outcome study 36-item short-form health survey.Cancer survivors exhibited significantly higher timed up and go and lower QOL than that of healthy subjects (P < .05). There was a significant association between body sway and QOL (P < .05) among cancer survivors. However, healthy subjects had subscales for QOL related to the body sway test parameters more frequently than cancer survivors (P < .05).Cancer survivors' balance function may have little effect on QOL, unlike in healthy subjects.