Assessment of Healthy Lifestyle Habits Among Cancer Patients Before Diagnosis

Aim: Cancer is one of the biggest problems of this era and is progressing with increasing momentum.Understanding the etiology of cancer is as crucial as its treatment.Numerous sources emphasize that modifiable factors constitute the largest proportion of cancer causes.This study aimed to evaluate the lifestyle habits of cancer patients and identify potential new modifiable risk factors for cancer.Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted.A total of 199 individuals aged 18 years and older, with a histologically confirmed cancer diagnosis, regardless of cancer type or stage, participated in the study. Results:The median age of the cancer patients included in the study was 60 years (range: 20-86).A significant majority, 175 (87.9% of respondents), reported not engaging in regular exercise, whereas 24 (12.1% of respondents) reported that they exercised regularly.Furthermore, 139 (69.8%) patients worked in sedentary jobs.It was observed that a large proportion of patients [126 (63%)] had the habit of eating or drinking 4 hours before sleep.A statistically significant association was found between marital status and cancer stage, as 30 (82%) of unmarried patients were in the advanced stage of cancer (p<0.001).The use of electromagnetic radiation-emitting devices, such as smartphones, Wi-Fi, and televisions, was significantly higher among college or university graduates [n=87 (82%)] compared to other groups (p<0.001).Conclusion: Advances in modern medicine have led to significant progress in cancer treatments; however, the disease still maintains its frightening image due to high mortality rates.Therefore, raising awareness of modifiable causes of cancer, such as lifestyle habits, is essential.