TITLE:
Fasting and Cancer: Practice and Patients’ Quality of Life during Ramadan
AUTHORS:
Oumaima Talbi, Zineb Benbrahim, Khadija Hinaje, Imad Chakri, Kaoutar Maadin, Lamiae Amaadour, Karima Oualla, Samia Arifi, Nawfel Mellas
KEYWORDS:
Ramadan, Fasting, Quality of Life, Practice
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Cancer Therapy,
Vol.15 No.3,
March
14,
2024
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Ramadan is the ninth lunar month of the Muslim calendar, and fasting
during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. Muslim cancer patients and
health professionals are faced with a dilemma between the necessity of fasting
and its possible adverse effects during Ramadan on the health status of cancer
patients. We believe that addressing the issue of fasting in cancer patients is
of global interest. Objectives: Prevalence of fasting in cancer patients
during Ramadan; Predictive factors of Ramadan fasting in cancer patients; The effect of
fasting during Ramadan on the quality of life of cancer patients. Materials and Methods: A structured
questionnaire was used to interview adult cancer patients who received
chemotherapy IV—or oral treatment at the medical oncology department at
the Hassan II University Hospital in Fez during the month of Ramadan 1443 Hijri
(April to May 2022). The quality of cancer patients’ lives during their fasting
practice in Ramadan was evaluated via the QLQ-C30 questionnaires. Results: 48% of patients did not fast during Ramadan, 22% and 30% were partial and
complete fasters respectively. Patients, with OMS 0 to 1, who receive
outpatient treatment, non-metastatic patients and patients on oral treatment
were more frequent in the completely fasted group. All these factors showed
statistically significant values (p Conclusion: Female gender, good
WHO, non-metastatic disease, and oral or outpatient treatment were more likely
to be fasting. This study argues that fasting did not influence the quality of
life, and appears to significantly improve emotional functioning in cancer
patients during Ramadan.