Adherence Of Patients With Prostate Cancer To Preventive Guidelines For Disease Recurrence

Introduction: Prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer in men in Brazil. Old age, inadequate diet and weight gain are factors that directly interfere with the risk of recurrence of the disease.Objective: To analyze the adhesion of patients with prostate cancer to the preventive guidelines for recurrence of the disease.Methodology: Cross-sectional study, developed at a referral oncology unit, in the city of Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil. The sample was of convenience, involving 108 patients. Identification, demographic, socioeconomic and dietary data were collected. Body mass index, waist circumference and waist- hip ratio were measured. The Food Frequency Questionnaire Elsa Brasil was applied and the nutritional data were evaluated according to recommendations of the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research.Results: The majority of patients were elderly (77,8%), with up to 8 years of schooling (79,6%), receiving up to 3 minimum wages (76,9%), married (80,6%), catholics (86,1%) and, in addition to cancer, arterial hypertension was the most present condition (30,5%). There is a high proportion of excess weight (50%) and accumulation of abdominal fat, estimated by waist circumference (67,6%) and waist/hip ratio (85,2%). It was observed that the best adherence was the consumption of dairy products (86,11%), alcoholic beverage (83,3%), non-starchy fruits and vegetables (61,1%) and red /processed meats (50,9%), while the worst adherence was relative to intake of sugary drinks (5,5%), calcium (14,8%) and nutritional status (body mass index, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio).Conclusion: Patients do not adhere to most of the recommendations of the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research, requiring nutritional counseling actions in order to contribute to the reduction of the risk of relapse.