Background/Objectives: Cancer survivorship rates are increasing, posing the need to create high quality survivorship care plans. Although patient-centred interventions including multiple lifestyle components are effective in changing behaviour, there is still a need for targeted health programs for people living with and beyond cancer (PLWBC) to improve their quality of life (QoL). The aim was to carry out a pilot study to explore the impact of a lifestyle complex intervention (diet, physical activity (PA) and mental health) on QoL of PLWBC.

Methods: Participants (n = 105) were recruited at the University Hospital Son Espases. At baseline, all participants answered the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire for Cancer Patients (QLQ-C30) and were randomized (1:1) to the Low Intervention (LI) or the High Intervention (HI). LI received general advice regarding diet, lifestyle and mental health, and HI received individual and group sessions with an oncological dietitian, PA expert and psychologist. Participants were followed for three months, after which they answered the QLQ-C30 again. Outcome variables were change in self-perceived “global health status” and change in the “QLQ-C30 summary” score (based on five functional and three symptom scales, and six items). Statistical analyses were carried out using the Mann Whitney test.

Results: A total of 105 PLWBC participated (63% women; age: 57.9 ± 12.0 years; 39% breast, 26% colon, 15% lymphoma, 20% others). After three months, HI participants’ self-perceived “global health status” improved (median change 8.3 vs. 0 in LI group; p = 0.04) as well as overall QLQ-C30 score (median change 3.0 vs. -0.2 in LI group; p = 0.06). Furthermore, HI presented a decrease in the “fatigue” scale (median change 11.1 vs. 0 in the LI group, p = 0.06), which evaluates the need to rest, weakness and feeling tired. Between-group differences in other scales and items were of smaller magnitude.

Conclusions/Recommendations: Personalised diet, PA and mental health guidance had a positive impact on PLWBC’s global health status and on overall QoL. The improvement in fatigue is of relevance, considering it is a common cancer-associated side effect. These results will guide future implementation studies, with the aim to promote lifestyle interventions in PLWBC.

Funding: World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), administered by WCRF International, as part of the WCRF Inspire Research Challenge (1167806); Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red; “IMP23-01", funded by Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (IdISBa) and co-funded by the European Union.