The feasibility of the early application of the means for the physical rehabilitation with a view to improvement of life quality in the women presenting with postmastectomy syndrome

Abstract

the problem of rehabilitation and improvement of the life quality of women with the postmastectomy syndrome holds an important place in the modern concept of the treatment of breast cancer. The objective of the present study was to determine the purposefulness of the early application of the available means and methods of physical rehabilitation for the improvement of the life quality in the women presenting with postmastectomy syndrome. The study included 135 women with the postmastectomy syndrome who had undergone radical mastectomy as described by Madden followed by postoperative radiotherapy. Fifty women were examined and treated as in-patients whereas the remaining 85 ones were out-patients under regular medical check-up The average age of the treated patients was 60.27±0.79 years. The in-patients were randomly subdivided into two groups: the main one (n=25) and the group of comparison (n=25). At the stage of dispensary observations, the women were also allocated to two groups: the first (n=45) and the second main groups (n=40), depending on the choice of the personality-oriented program for physical rehabilitation. The analysis of the quality of life was carried out in the beginning of the out-patient rehabilitation treatment, then within 6 and 12 months after its initiation making use of the standardized Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT-B + 4) questionnaire. The benefits of the early physical rehabilitation of the in-patients first became apparent within six months after the onset of training as follows from the significantly better performance of the physical, social, emotional functions estimated taking into consideration the subscales of breast cancer and hand disorders in the women comprising the main group of the patients in comparison with those in the first and second main groups: the difference amounted to 2.34 (p<0.05), 1,88 (р<0.01), 2,52 (р<0.001), 3,52 (р<0.001) and 4,09 (р<0.001) points respectively. In a year, only the improvement of the social and emotional state persisted. The proposed personality-oriented program of physical rehabilitation can be used in the clinical practice of the relevant specialized departments for the improvement of the quality of life of the women presenting with postmastectomy syndrome.