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Pickleball Credited With Increased Physical Activity in Cancer Survivors

A small study has found that playing pickleball, the fastest-growing sport in the U.S., may lead to increased and sustained physical activity among cancer survivors. In the study, published in the journal Healthcare,18 cancer survivors completed Project Rally, a pickleball program developed by Moffitt Cancer Center and YMCA of the Suncoast, both based in the Tampa, Florida, area. Participants increased their moderate-to-strenuous physical activity by more than 80 minutes per week. They also reported an increase in perceived social support for physical activity. “Folks were motivated to enroll,” Nathan H. Parker, an epidemiologist and researcher at Moffitt, told Healio. “They stuck with the program. They enjoyed the program and the group that they became part of.” Research shows that physical activity can ease cancer treatment side effects and relieve stress, while improving physical functioning, cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition and quality of life. Yet between 53% and 83% of survivors do not meet guidelines for physical activity, and about 1 in 3 do not participate in any planned physical activity. Parker said his mother inspired him to focus on pickleball as a possible solution. “Five years ago or so, my mom became a devoted pickleball player, pretty much playing every day. It’s been a huge boost in many aspects of her health, including physical and emotional wellness and making new friends,” he said. “I started thinking about how cool that would be as a program in my work, knowing the benefits of physical activity in cancer survivorship.”

Urine Test Detects Aggressive Prostate Cancer, May Help Some Men Avoid Biopsies

An at-home urine test may allow some men to avoid unnecessary biopsies, according to a study in the Journal of Urology. The MyProstateScore 2.0 (MPS2) test identifies aggressive prostate cancer by measuring expression of 18 genes specific to prostate cancer, some of which are only in aggressive prostate cancer. The study included 266 men with a median prostate-specific antigen (PSA) score of 6.6; a score above 4.0 is considered abnormal and may trigger further testing for cancer. Researchers compared the performance of MPS2 to PSA testing and to the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial Risk Calculator, a measure that determines risk based on answers to questions about race, age, PSA score, family history of prostate cancer and other factors. The MPS2 urine test outperformed the other tests in identifying cancers that were Grade Group 2 or higher, and researchers using mathematical modeling determined that testing with MPS2 would prevent 36% to 42% of unnecessary biopsies in men considering a prostate biopsy. They also found the test could avoid 44% to 53% of repeat biopsies in men who tested negative in a previous biopsy. “This test has the ability to hone in and refine our focus on individuals at high risk for developing aggressive prostate cancer, and also allows us to provide reassurance and de-escalate surveillance for men unlikely to have high-risk prostate cancer,” researcher and urologist Ganesh S. Palapattu at University of Michigan Health in Ann Arbor, a study author, told Healio. “This has significant ramifications for cost, as well as for patient comfort and anxiety.”

Vaping by Adults Is on the Rise

Data released by the National Center for Health Statistics indicate that the use of e-cigarettes, or vaping, increased among adults 18 and older between 2019 and 2023. Drawn from the National Health Interview Survey, the data revealed that e-cigarette use declined among adults from 4.5% in 2019 to 3.7% in 2020 but then spiked to 6.5% in 2023. Vaping was most common among young adults ages 21 to 24 at 15.5% in 2023, with e-cigarette use declining after age 25. Vaping rose for both men and women in this period, but a higher percentage of men in 2023 (7.6%) used e-cigarettes compared with women (5.5%). The survey also broke out e-cigarette use by race and ethnicity. The rate of increase was highest among Black adults, rising from 3.4% in 2019 to 5.7% in 2023, while white adults had the highest percentages of e-cigarette users at 7.5% in 2023. Hispanic adults also registered significant growth in vaping, going from 2.8% to 4.4% in this period. The increases for Asian and multiple-race adults were not significant. E-cigarettes, like other tobacco products, contain nicotine, which is highly addictive and, if used during adolescence, may harm parts of the brain responsible for attention, learning, mood regulation and impulse control, according to a summary of the data in the Washington Post. “As 1 in 10 adults ages 18 to 20 and about 1 in 6 adults ages 21 to 24 use electronic cigarettes in 2023, continued monitoring of use, particularly among young adults is needed,” the survey concluded.