Lifestyle choices have a significant impact on outcomes for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). Health improvement, including exercise and proper nutrition, is an important part of the patient-physician discussion. The magnitude of impact on long-term outcomes associated with exercise and nutrition is similar to what can be seen with chemotherapy, suggests Herbert I. Hurwitz, MD.

Physicians should discuss healthy lifestyle choices with every patient who completes adjuvant therapy, Axel Grothey, MD, explains. This should place particular emphasis on increasing exercise, normalizing body weight, lowering alcohol consumption, and eating less red meat. Additionally, data are emerging on the use of aspirin and vitamin D, which should be incorporate into the conversation.

The benefits of a health lifestyle are important during treatment, not just in the adjuvant setting, Alan Venook, MD, notes. According to research by Meyerhardt and Fuchs, lifestyle factors matter during the course of the adjuvant therapy, as well as afterward. The optimal time to have a conversation about a healthy lifestyle is during the initiation of therapy, as the benefits associated with this intervention are very compelling, suggests Daniel Haller, MD.