Breast Cancer, Fatigue, Lymphedema, Postoperative Recovery, Quality of Life, Shoulder Dysfunction
Conditions
Keywords
exercise prehabilitation, breast cancer, upper extremity functionality, quality of life
Brief summary
This prospective prehabilitation trial evaluated the effectiveness of an individualized exercise program initiated before breast cancer surgery and maintained for 12 months. The intervention aimed to promote functional recovery and improve patient-reported outcomes.
Detailed description
Women scheduled for breast surgery due to breast cancer were enrolled in an individualized prehabilitation program that began in the preoperative period and continued for 12 months. The exercise program included range-of-motion, strengthening, and postural correction exercises delivered through supervised and home-based sessions. Outcomes were evaluated at baseline and at 1st, 3rd, 6th, and 12th months. Functional outcomes, shoulder range of motion, pain intensity, lymphedema development, and patient-reported quality of life were assessed.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALExercise-Based Prehabilitation Program
The exercise program was delivered to patients through both visual and written materials, accompanied by face-to-face training sessions conducted by a physiotherapist. A home-based program was designed separately for the pre-surgery phase, postoperative day 1, day 3, day 7, and the maintenance period. The exercise template included postural correction, breathing, aerobic, stretching, and resistive strengthening exercises targeting muscles in adjacent to the shoulder joint and mobilization of scapulothoracic complex via stretching and strengthening exercises of periscapular muscles.
Sponsors
University of Health Sciences Balikesir Hospital Eduation and Research
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Female patients diagnosed with breast cancer scheduled for surgical treatment * Age ≥ 18 years * Able to perform exercise * Provided informed consent
Exclusion criteria
* Metastatic disease * Prior upper limb injury or neurologic impairment * Inability to comply with exercise program * Postoperative chemotherapy before the 3rd month
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Shoulder Range of Motion | baseline, 1st-3rd-6th-12th month | Measurement of Flexion, Abduction, Internal and External Rotation of Shoulder with goniometer |
| Pain Intensity | baseline, 1st-3rd-6th-12th month | measure of pain with VAS (Visual analog scale) |
| Functional Outcomes | baseline and 12th month | measure of upper extremity functions with UEFI-15 (Upper extremity functional index) instrument |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| fatigue | baseline and 12th month | measure of fatigue condition with FSS (Fatigue severity scale) instrument |
| Quality of Life impairment | baseline and 12th month | measure of Quality of Life with EORTC-QLQ-C30 (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire) instrument |
| lymphedema | baseline and 12th month | Limb volume difference \>10% or clinical signs of edema |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Outcome results
None listed