Quality of life in cancer patients: how healthy habits strengthen treatment

• With close to 12,000 new cancer cases a year in the country, specialists stress that nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress management complement cancer treatment.

In conversations about cancer, the focus is usually on chemotherapy, surgery or immunotherapy. Today, however, more and more specialists insist that quality of life in cancer patients does not depend on medical treatment alone, but also on everyday factors such as nutrition, exercise, sleep and stress management.

In the Dominican Republic, the context is urgent. According to the Dominican Society of Medical Oncology, in 2025 the country recorded a 10% increase in cancer cases. Around 12,000 new diagnoses are currently estimated each year, according to figures from the Rosa Emilia Sánchez Pérez de Tavares National Cancer Institute (INCART).

These figures reinforce the need to guarantee a real improvement in quality of life for cancer patients. In that context, lifestyle medicine is starting to take a strategic place within cancer care. It does not replace conventional therapies, but it does complement a comprehensive approach.

“Treating the whole person, not just the cancer, is essential in cancer care,” says Dr Amy Comander, an oncologist specialising in breast cancer and director of the Lifestyle Medicine Programme at the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute. “Growing evidence has shown that, in some cases, focusing on these key lifestyle factors can improve outcomes in cancer and in other serious health conditions.”

Beyond treatment: the six pillars of wellbeing

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) defines this approach as the therapeutic use of evidence-based interventions to prevent and treat disease. In oncology, that translates into six fundamental pillars:

• Nutrition
• Physical activity
• Stress management
• Restorative sleep
• Social connection
• Avoiding harmful substances

These elements are considered factors that influence quality of life in cancer and that can make a tangible difference to symptoms, recovery and emotional wellbeing.

Dr Comander explains that the programme she leads works with personalised goals. Each patient goes through a different experience, with their own physical, emotional and social challenges. Specific, measurable and achievable goals are therefore set.

Nutrition: energy and recovery

Diet is one of the most relevant pillars for the overall wellbeing of a cancer patient. During treatment, maintaining a healthy weight and an adequate intake of nutrients can help reduce infections, preserve muscle strength and improve tolerance of aggressive therapies.

The evidence points towards predominantly plant-based diets, rich in fibre, fruit and vegetables. This dietary pattern may even influence the gut microbiome, a factor of growing relevance in the response to certain cancer treatments.

Exercise in cancer: movement that transforms

One of the most significant changes in recent years is the role of exercise in cancer treatment. Far from recommending complete rest, international guidelines now suggest supervised physical activity during and after treatment.

Physical exercise for cancer patients has been shown to:

• Reduce fatigue
• Improve sleep
• Lower anxiety and depression
• Reduce lymphoedema
• Contribute to survival in some types of cancer

The general recommendation is to accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week, along with strength training twice a week, always adapted to individual circumstances.

Stress management and sleep hygiene

A cancer diagnosis usually comes with anxiety, uncertainty and profound emotional changes. Managing stress properly can therefore directly benefit recovery.

Techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, psychological therapy, journaling or simply making time for enjoyable activities are part of a comprehensive approach that supports quality of life in cancer patients.

As for sleep, pain, side effects, anxiety or hormonal changes can disturb rest. Poor sleep is associated with more pain, longer hospital stays and more complications.

The approach therefore includes sleep hygiene, screening for apnoea, management of night-time symptoms and, where necessary, referral to specialists.

Social connection and support

Cancer has an impact on social life. Family, work and couple relationships can change profoundly. Keeping strong support networks, however, is one of the most important predictors of long-term wellbeing.

Social connections reduce the feeling of isolation and strengthen emotional resilience. Comprehensive programmes therefore usually include psychological support and support groups.

Harmful substances: an added risk

Using tobacco, alcohol or cannabis can interfere with treatment and increase complications. Early intervention in these behaviours is part of lifestyle programmes.

Reducing or eliminating these habits does not only improve the medical outlook, it also strengthens the sense of self-care.

A change of paradigm in oncology

Lifestyle medicine does not promise miracle cures. Nor does it replace conventional therapy. But it does represent a change of paradigm: bringing healthy habits into treatment as a formal part of it.

“The good news is that even small changes can make a difference within months,” says Dr Comander.

In a country like the Dominican Republic, where the burden of cancer continues to rise, quality of life in cancer patients should not be seen as a secondary outcome, but as a central objective of treatment.