Researchers at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo have shown that maintaining a healthy lifestyle after a breast cancer diagnosis is associated with fewer recurrences. The findings were reported in a study published in JAMA Network Open.
The study tracked 1,340 patients diagnosed with pathological stage I to III breast cancer who had not yet undergone chemotherapy. Among these patients, about two thirds, precisely 65.3 percent, had hormone receptor positive breast cancer. The research team assessed how closely participants followed cancer prevention recommendations before treatment, during the treatment period, and one and two years after completing therapy.
Results revealed that individuals with the highest scores for healthy lifestyle practices had a markedly reduced risk of cancer returning and a lower likelihood of death compared with those with the lowest scores. Specifically, relapse was 63 percent less likely and overall mortality was 42 percent lower when comparing the top tier of lifestyle adherence to the bottom tier.
Lead investigators highlight that strict adherence to recommendations on smoking avoidance, regular physical activity, fruit and vegetable intake, and limiting sugar-sweetened beverages correlated with the most consistent improvements in outcomes. The study also notes that patients with more aggressive breast cancer subtypes experienced meaningful survival benefits from these lifestyle measures. These conclusions align with broader evidence emerging from oncology research that lifestyle factors play a significant role in long‑term cancer outcomes, according to researchers involved in the Toronto and Buffalo collaborations described in the study.
The researchers emphasize that lifestyle choices can complement medical treatment. By supporting healthier habits during and after therapy, patients may improve their chances for better long-term survival and a lower risk of recurrence, as documented by the Roswell Park investigators and their colleagues.
Experts caution that while lifestyle adherence shows strong associations with improved outcomes, it should not be viewed as a replacement for medical therapy. Instead, it acts as an important supportive strategy that can augment standard treatments. The findings contribute to a growing body of evidence suggesting that comprehensive care for breast cancer should integrate lifestyle counseling as part of routine survivorship planning in medical centers across North America.
In summary, the study from Roswell Park highlights how sustained healthy behaviors before, during, and after breast cancer treatment correlate with lower relapse rates and reduced mortality. This information can help patients, families, and clinicians shape survivorship plans that emphasize practical, achievable steps toward a healthier lifestyle while pursuing conventional cancer therapies. The research team adds that ongoing studies will further clarify which individual components of lifestyle adherence offer the strongest benefits and how best to tailor recommendations to different breast cancer subtypes.