Social Health, Activity Behaviors, and Quality of Life Among Young Adult Cancer Survivors

Social Health, Activity Behaviors, and Quality of Life Among Young Adult Cancer Survivors: A Longitudinal Study

This longitudinal observational study examines how social health, including social support, social roles, loneliness, social anxiety, and social network characteristics, relates to physical activity, sedentary time, and quality of life among ethnically and racially diverse adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients aged 18-39 years. The study follows participants over four clinically significant timepoints in the first 12 months after diagnosis (baseline near diagnosis, mid treatment, near end of treatment, and 12 month follow up). At each timepoint, patients complete questionnaires and wear a wrist worn accelerometer for one week.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Characterize trajectories of social health over the course of cancer treatment and into early survivorship; II. Investigate longitudinal and potentially reciprocal associations between social health and activity behaviors (physical activity and sedentary time) and their relationship to quality of life; III. Examine whether gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and symptom burden moderate these associations.

OUTLINE:

Patients complete surveys over 40 minutes and wear an actigraph GT3X-BT accelerometer continuously for 7 days at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18-39 years at cancer diagnosis.
• Newly diagnosed (within past 3 months) with one of the following cancer types commonly seen in AYAs: testis, breast, thyroid, cervix, colorectal, brain/central nervous system, non Hodgkin lymphoma, uterine, melanoma, bones and joints, ovary, Hodgkin lymphoma, lung, or gastric cancer.
• Stage I-IV for solid tumors (AJCC 8th edition TNM staging) or I-IV for lymphomas (Ann Arbor staging).
• Receiving care at a participating USC affiliated hospital (USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck Hospital of USC, or Los Angeles General Medical Center) or MD Anderson Cancer Center.
• Clinician assessed expected survival greater than 12 months at time of diagnosis.
• Able to complete questionnaires and wear a wrist worn accelerometer.
• English or Spanish speaking.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Leukemia (excluded due to longer treatment duration and different care trajectory).
• Primary language other than English or Spanish.
• Cognitive or physical limitations that preclude completion of surveys or wearing an accelerometer.