Gait and Balance Impairments in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies.
Katherine L Hsieh, Tyler A Wood, Ruopeng An and 2 others
PMID 33570512WHAT IT FOUND
Breast cancer survivors show slower walking and poorer balance than normative values, especially when vision or proprioception is challenged.
Use functional reach and gait speed tests to screen for fall risk during and after treatment, as single-leg stance results were inconsistent.
Key findings
01Pooled data showed breast cancer survivors had slower gait speed and longer Timed Up and Go times compared to normative values.
02Balance impairments were evident in functional reach and center of pressure velocity, indicating worse postural control when compared to adults without breast cancer.
03Single leg stance time did not differ significantly between breast cancer survivors and controls, suggesting caution when using this test alone for assessment.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Most included studies were cross-sectional, so causality between breast cancer treatment and mobility impairment cannot be established. Heterogeneity was substantial due to variations in age, cancer stage, treatment types, and time since treatment. Only 7 studies included a control group of individuals who never had breast cancer; most comparisons relied on normative values. Study quality was rated as fair or poor for 26 of the 29 studies, with no studies reporting blinded assessors. The meta-analysis could not include all balance measures due to inconsistent reporting (e.g., median values), and publication bias was not assessed.
Declared interests
No specific funding sources or conflicts of interest were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume single leg stance is a sensitive measure for this population, as it did not differ significantly from controls. Also, remember that most evidence comes from cross-sectional data, so these impairments may not be solely caused by cancer treatment but could be associated with other factors like age or deconditioning.