Applying Lifestyle Medicine to Enhance Cancer Survivorship and Patient Well-Being

Presentation Summary: As cancer detection and treatments are advancing, effective survivorship care is critical to address the medical, physical, emotional, social, and financial issues. Cancer survivorship begins on the day of diagnosis and involves a whole-person approach beyond active medical treatment, emphasizing the need for comprehensive survivorship care. Caring for survivors is not limited to oncologists but extends to a multidisciplinary team, including primary care clinicians, specialists, and allied health professionals, to ensure whole-person and sustained care. Currently, there are over 18 million cancer survivors in the US, and estimated to increase to 26 million by 2040. Survivorship care leads to improved quality of life, physical functioning, reduced risk of recurrence, development or worsening of chronic diseases, improved management of treatment-related side effects, enhanced emotional well-being, and reduced anxiety and depression. Lifestyle medicine (LM) plays a pivotal role in cancer survivorship care. Yet, despite research highlighting its importance, its integration into oncology and general medicine remains underexplored in professional forums, including past ACLM conferences, which are critical venues for disseminating information and sharing updates. This session seeks to highlight the untapped potential of LM in medical practice and provide practical strategies for incorporating it into clinical care. With the growing population of cancer survivors, addressing this gap is essential to improving outcomes and enhancing the quality of life for patients. LM encompasses evidence-based interventions that align with national survivorship guidelines, such as those of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Cancer Society (ACS), and NCCN. Cancer centers should incorporate lifestyle medicine clinics into their survivorship programs. These clinics include an interdisciplinary team of clinicians, including physicians, nurse practitioners, dietitians, psychologists, and physical therapists. This integrated approach leads to personalized, whole-person care that addresses each survivor's unique requirements.

In this session, we will highlight key aspects essential to oncology care and will also discuss strategies to implement these tools in the clinic, drawing on actionable insights from successful programs such as the Paving the Path at Mass General Hospital, led by Dr. Comander, which has demonstrated improved patient outcomes through integrating lifestyle medicine in oncology care. We will review the six pillars of lifestyle medicine and discuss their evidence-based relevance to oncology, emphasizing their role in improving patient outcomes and reducing recurrence risks. We will explore barriers to implementing LM programs in oncology, addressing challenges such as patient engagement, healthcare infrastructure, and resource availability. We will also describe strategies for integrating LM into oncology care, showcasing practical approaches for incorporating these principles into clinical practice to enhance survivorship and overall patient well-being. In addition to clinical insights, the session will emphasize the role of multidisciplinary care in survivorship programs, present successful lifestyle medicine programs for cancer survivors as case studies, and the current ACLM cancer toolkit.

While lifestyle medicine provides significant benefits, implementing it is challenging. This session will explore strategies for overcoming these challenges, including utilizing telehealth, shared medical appointments, and technology to improve accessibility and support long-term behavior change. This session aims to deliver evidence-based insights and actionable tools that attendees can apply. It is designed for healthcare team members, health executives, and anyone with a personal or professional interest in cancer survivorship.