Study: Cancer patients of faith more likely to get intensive treatments 

March 17, 2009

By Liz Szabo, USA TODAY

Strong religious faith can comfort people who are dying of cancer, allowing patients to find meaning in their suffering and easing their passage out of life, experts say. But faith can be a “double-edged sword,” says nurse Carol Taylor, director of the Center for Clinical Bioethics at Georgetown University. Some terminally ill patients latch on to stories of biblical miracles, hoping against hope to be cured, instead of using their little remaining time to make peace with God and loved ones.

Yet even Taylor, who has counseled many dying patients, says she was surprised by the findings of a study in today’s Journal of the American Medical Association, which examined the choices of dying cancer patients who rely strongly on their religious faith to cope with their illness. These patients were three times more likely than others to receive intensive, invasive medical procedures — such as being hooked up to a ventilator or getting cardiopulmonary resuscitation when their hearts stop — even in their last week of life, the study shows. (more…)

Reduce Your Risk of Some Cancers

Being physically active lowers your risk for two types of cancer: colon and breast. Research shows that:

Physically active people have a lower risk of colon cancer than do people who are not active.

Physically active women have a lower risk of breast cancer than do people who are not active.

Reduce your risk of endometrial and lung cancer. Although the research is not yet final, some findings suggest that your risk of endometrial cancer and lung cancer may be lower if you get regular physical activity compared to people who are not active.

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