Spanish researchers from the University of Granada have discovered that colon cancer survivors are more likely to suffer future lesions related with pain in the back and lower abdomen than healthy individuals of the same gender and age. The researchers noted that this group of patients present a series of abnormalities in the abdominal wall architecture ? the site of surgery in cancer treatment. Furthermore, these patients have specific abnormalities in processing chronic pain that may increase their sensitization to any kind of pain in the future.
In two different articles, one published in Pain Medicine[1] and the other published in European Journal of Cancer Care, the researchers from the University of Granada Department of Physical Therapy analyzed the physical and psychological status of colon cancer patients following treatment. The study was funded by the Campus of International Excellence: BioHealth and Information & Communications Technology (CEI BioTic) and was conducted in collaboration with researchers from the Department of Surgery of the Hospital Cl?nico San Cecilio, Granada, Spain.
The fact that this group of wrongly termed cancer survivors should be growing, leads us to ask what price they have to pay for their survival…
Study purpose
The purpose of the study was to investigate the presence of widespread pressure pain sensitivity in cancer patients following partial colorectal resection in the abdominal and lower back area and to describe the presence of abnormalities in abdominal and lower back muscle morphology.
Twenty colon cancer survivors (8 women, mean age 56.60???7.76 years) and 20 matched healthy controls (10 women, mean age 54.22???8.12 years) participated in this study. The results showed that, 10 months after colorectal cancer patients widespread pain, muscle hyperalgesia and reduced depths of dominant-side internal oblique muscles compared with matched controls.
Third most frequent type of cancer
As principal author, Manuel Arroyo-Morales, Professor of Physical Therapy at the University of Granada (photo) explains, “Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in the world if we consider both genders together. Thanks to advances in cancer treatment, the chances of survival have risen spectacularly in recent years?between 44% and 65% in the last 5 years. This improvement in treatment has led to the appearance of a group of people who have had cancer and have managed to overcome it”.
However, for each patients treatment is extremely tough physically and highly traumatic psychologically. “The fact that this group of wrongly termed cancer survivors should be growing, leads us to ask what price they have to pay for their survival”, Arroyo-Morales noted.
“The results indicate that when we compare these patients with individuals of a similar age and gender, we find that colon cancer survivors present a substantial deterioration of their functional capacity?that is, their capacity to lead normal daily work and leisure routines,” he continued.
Loss of strength
This deterioration in functional capacity is due to their loss of physical condition because of physical rest during the treatment and convalescence that they have to undergo for several months. “The loss of parameters like muscle strength in the back or cardiorespiratory capacity can mean up to a 60% deterioration by comparison with healthy individuals of the same gender and age”.
At the same time, colon cancer patients have symptoms like fatigue or moderate tiredness due to the illness itself. “All these physical abnormalities impact on their quality of life to the extent that this can be reduced by around 40% when compared with individuals of the same age and gender not affected by cancer”, Arroyo-Morales explained.
The University of Granada research group’s next objective is to develop and conduct physiotherapy programmes aimed at improving these physical issues. The results of these programs mat help colon cancer patients regain health related quality of life (hrQoL).
For more information:
[1] S?nchez-Jim?nez A, Cantarero-Villanueva I, Molina-Barea R, Fern?ndez-Lao C, Galiano-Castillo N, Arroyo-Morales M. Widespread pressure pain hypersensitivity and ultrasound imaging evaluation of abdominal area after colon cancer treatment.Pain Med. 2014 Feb;15(2):233-40. doi: 10.1111/pme.12281.[Article][PubMed]
[2]Los pacientes con c?ncer de colon son m?s propensos a padecer dolor de espalda y abdomen [Video]
Photo: Manuel Arroyo-Morales.Colon cancer survivors are more likely to have pain in the back and abdomen. Photo Courtesy: UGRdivulga.
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