The Influence of Rehabilitation on Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Clinical Study

Teresa Paolucci, Aristide Saggino, Francesco Agostini, Marco Paoloni, Andrea Bernetti, Massimiliano Mangone, Valter Santilli, Raoul Saggini and Marco Tommasi
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Teresa Paolucci: Department of Oral Medical Science and Biotechnology, G. D’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Aristide Saggino: Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, G. D’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Francesco Agostini: Department of Anatomical and Histological Sciences, Legal Medicine and Orthopedics, Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, Italy
Marco Paoloni: Department of Anatomical and Histological Sciences, Legal Medicine and Orthopedics, Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, Italy
Andrea Bernetti: Department of Anatomical and Histological Sciences, Legal Medicine and Orthopedics, Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, Italy
Massimiliano Mangone: Department of Anatomical and Histological Sciences, Legal Medicine and Orthopedics, Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, Italy
Valter Santilli: Department of Anatomical and Histological Sciences, Legal Medicine and Orthopedics, Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, Italy
Raoul Saggini: Department of Oral Medical Science and Biotechnology, G. D’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Marco Tommasi: Department of Medicine and Aging Sciences, G. D’Annunzio University of Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 16, 1-13

Abstract: Background: Breast cancer survivors report negative impacts of cancer, augmented by specific vulnerabilities to body changes, negative self-assessment, and quality-of-life concerns. The main objective of our work was to test the effect of a rehabilitation program on breast cancer patients by evaluating the change in their physical well-being during an outpatient rehabilitation setting and, subsequently, in a home rehabilitation setting, considering the individual personality profile. Methods: Patients who underwent total mastectomy with breast prostheses or tissue expanders were enrolled. Outcome assessments (Pain, Quality of Life, Personality traits for the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2) before treatment (T0), at the end of the rehabilitative treatment (T1 = 10 sessions 2/week, one hour/each), and after two months of follow-up (T2) were performed. Results: The data of 38 included patients were analyzed. The quadratic trend of the Visual Analogue Scale can be explained by the fact that patients have a strong reduction in the perceived pain immediately after rehabilitation in the clinic. This reduction remains constant for the home period of the rehabilitation. The personality profiles of all the participants were substantially valid. Only three patients obtained scores higher than 65 points. Conclusions: The study evidenced that in the initial phase of the rehabilitation, psychological traits such as anxiety, depression, and preoccupation could have a strong association especially with the autonomous functions and the perceived physical symptoms. However, during the therapeutic process, this association decreased and these decrements were higher when patients performed their rehabilitation at home, in a more familiar and comfortable setting.

Keywords: breast cancer; exercise; physiotherapy; MMPI-2; personality profile; pain (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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