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Time course of upper limb function and return-to-work post-radiotherapy in young adults with breast cancer: a pilot randomized control trial on effects of targeted exercise program

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Abstract

Purpose

Breast cancer (BC) diagnosis in young adults (YA) is rising, and both disease and treatments are aggressive in this population. Evidence supports the use of physical activity in reducing shoulder dysfunction, which is common among BC survivors. A pilot randomized clinical trial was performed to determine the effectiveness of a 12-week post-radiation exercise program in minimizing upper extremity dysfunction in YA with BC.

Methods

Participants were randomized to either an exercise arm or a control arm receiving standard care. Data was collected over six time points using: the Disability of Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH); the Metabolic Equivalent of Task-hours per week (MET-hours/week), and a post hoc questionnaire on return to work.

Results

In total, 59 young women participated in the study (n = 29 exercise; n = 30 control). No statistically significant differences were found in overall DASH results between groups; however, those who underwent total mastectomy had residual upper limb dysfunction (p < 0.05). Both groups returned to pre-diagnosis activity levels by 18 months. Final evaluation showed that 86% of the women returned to work, and 89% resumed prior work activities with a decrease of 8.5 h/week.

Conclusion

Although the short-term targeted exercise program had no effect on long-term upper limb function post-radiation, timing and program specificity may require consideration of tissue healing post-radiation and surgery type. The majority of participants returned to work, however not returning to pre-diagnosis work hours.

Implications for Cancer Survivors

Exercise interventions alone may not reverse the long-term sequelae of breast cancer treatment and allow young adult patients to return to work.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Hope & Cope, the CURE Foundation, and the Jewish General Hospital Foundation /Weekend to End Breast Cancer for providing the financial resources needed to sustain this research study. We thank the McGill Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) program for their continued support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rehabilitation & Exercise Oncology program, Jewish General Hospital, Hope & Cope, 3755 Côte-Sainte-Catherine, E-773, Montréal, Québec, H3T 1E2, Canada

    Marize Ibrahim, Nadia Smirnow, Beatrice Fournier & Mary-Ann Dalzell

  2. Experimental Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Thierry Muanza

  3. Radiation Oncology Department, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Thierry Muanza

  4. Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Thierry Muanza

  5. Oncology Department, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Thierry Muanza

  6. Rossy Cancer Network, Jewish General Hospital, 1980 Sherbrooke West, Suite 1123, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Warren Sateren

  7. Department of Oncology, McGill University, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Canada

    Petr Kavan

  8. Hematology-Oncology Department, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Michael Palumbo

  9. Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Richard Dalfen

  10. Oncology Division, Canadian Physiotherapy Association, Ontario, Canada

    Mary-Ann Dalzell

  11. Web-Based Education and Professional Consultations, Ordre Professionelle de la Physiothérapie du Quebec, Anjou, QC, Canada

    Mary-Ann Dalzell

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  1. Marize Ibrahim
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  2. Thierry Muanza
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  7. Michael Palumbo
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  9. Mary-Ann Dalzell
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mary-Ann Dalzell.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

Marize Ibrahim declares that she has no conflict of interest. Theirry Muanza declares that he has no conflict of interest. Nadia Smirnow declares that she has no conflict of interest. Warren Sateren declares that he has no conflict of interest. Beatrice Fournier declares that she has no conflict of interest. Warren Sateren declares that he has no conflict of interest. Petr Kavan declares that she has no conflict of interest. Michael Palumbo declares that he has no conflict of interest. Richard Dalfen declares that he has no conflict of interest. Mary-Ann Dalzell declares that she has no conflict of interest.

Human and animal rights

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Research performed at the following institution

The Segal Cancer Center and the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Previous presentation of research

Patient demographics have previously been reported in presentation and abstracts (Abstract Presented: Muanza, T. M., et al. “Randomized Clinical Trial of a Progressive Exercise Program for Young Women with Breast Cancer Undergoing Radiation Therapy.” International Journal of Radiation Oncology• Biology• Physics 93.3 (2015): S35-S36).

Ibrahim, M. Randomized Clinical Trial of a Post-Radiation Therapy Exercise Program for Young Women with Breast Cancer Hope & Cope, Jewish General Hospital; Dept. of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University; Segal Cancer Centre, Jewish General Hospital. Canada. Canadian Cancer Research Conference 2015, Montreal QC. URL file:///E:/BREAST%20CANCER/Presentations-Submissions/Draft%20Marize%20Poster%202015-10-23.pdf

Funding

This study was funded by Hope & Cope, a grant from the CURE foundation, as well as grants from the Jewish General Hospitals’ Weekend to End Breast Cancer.

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Ibrahim, M., Muanza, T., Smirnow, N. et al. Time course of upper limb function and return-to-work post-radiotherapy in young adults with breast cancer: a pilot randomized control trial on effects of targeted exercise program. J Cancer Surviv 11, 791–799 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-017-0617-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-017-0617-0

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