Advancing Uterine Cancer Survivorship Among African American Women

Abstract

Background: Few studies have examined health behavior interventions for African American women who are uterine cancer survivors. Black-white differences in uterine cancer survival suggest that there are unmet needs among these survivors.

Methods: This article identifies opportunities to address disparities in uterine corpus cancer survival and quality of life, and thereby to increase uterine cancer survivorship among African American women.

Results: For cancer survivors, common side effects, lasting for long periods after cancer treatment, include fatigue, loss of strength, lymphedema, and difficulty sleeping. A variety of interventions have been evaluated to address physical and mental health concerns, including exercise and dietary interventions. Considerable information exists about the effectiveness of such interventions for alleviating distress and improving quality of life among cancer survivors, but few studies have focused specifically on African American women with a uterine corpus cancer diagnosis. Research-tested culturally tailored lifestyle interventions are lacking.

Conclusions: There is a need for a better understanding of uterine cancer survivorship among African American women. Additional evaluations of interventions for improving the quality of life and survival of African American uterine cancer survivors are needed.

Keywords: African Americans; Cancer survivorship; Diet; Health disparities; Nutrition; Physical activity; Quality of life; Uterine cancer.