Daily HealthBeat Tip

Cancer and a better life

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Cancer treatment is not just something a doctor can do. Many patients start taking better care of their health after their diagnosis.

Researchers reviewed over 100 studies on ways in which survivors reclaim their lives. Many quit smoking, ate better, or became more physically active.

Wendy Demark-Wahnefried of Duke University Medical Center was lead author of the study, with colleagues at the National Institutes of Health and Brown University. It's in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

She says some people � notably, men, people with less education, and people over 65 � were less likely to pick up good habits. But she says it's good to try:

"Truth be told, more and more people are surviving their cancer. If cancer survivors want to have a healthier life, then its time that they do make some changes." (nine seconds)

Learn more at www.hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: October 18, 2005

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