Quality of life assessment of women after a post-breast surgery rehabilitation program

Abstract

Background: Early breast cancer diagnosis and therapeutic advances have contributed to increasing survivorship, yet little is known about how women’s quality of life (QoL) is affected. Objective: To evaluate the QoL of women who underwent breast surgery with axillary lymph node dissection after a rehabilitation program was implemented. Methodology: Quantitative pre-and post-intervention assessment study involving 48 women re-cruited from a Hospital Center between 2018 and 2019. A three-month rehabilitation program was implemented in the participants’ homes. The instruments used were EORTC-QLQ-C30 and BR23. Results: After the program implementation, the participants’ QoL improved in functional aspects (role, emotional, cognitive, social, body image, future perspectives) and symptoms (fatigue, pain, insomnia, systemic therapy side effects, and breast and arm symptoms). Conclusion: This program has positively influenced the participants’ QoL, providing them with the knowledge and skills to take an active and informed part in their motor rehabilitation.