TOPIC

Oncology research

Everything we have read on oncology. Each paper is summarised from the full article rather than its abstract, so the limitations are in there too, and the funding wherever the paper declares it.

332 PAPERS · PAGE 3 OF 7 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTCase Report2017The effects of bandaging with an additional pad and taping on secondary arm lymphedema in a patient after mastectomy.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn one patient after mastectomy, 10 sessions of manual lymphatic drainage, a pad, bandaging, taping and exercise were followed by reported reductions in arm volume and better function and quality-of-life scores. No component can be credited alone.
• PTOther2017Using rating of perceived exertion in assessing cardiorespiratory fitness in endometrial cancer survivors.Physiotherapy theory and practicePerceived exertion and heart rate gave similar estimated cardiorespiratory fitness in endometrial cancer survivors not taking beta-blockers. In those taking beta-blockers, heart-rate estimates were higher, but the difference approached significance.
• PTOther2018Exercise training improves the IL-10/TNF-α cytokine balance in the gastrocnemius of rats with heart failure.Brazilian journal of physical therapyIn rats with heart failure, treadmill training improved the balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory signals in muscle, and increased muscle weight. This is animal evidence only, not evidence for human rehabilitation.
• PTCohort2017Changes in fatigue and physical function with age for patients with gastrointestinal cancer in the perioperative period: a comparison between older and young patients.Journal of physical therapy scienceOlder and younger gastrointestinal cancer patients had similar fatigue around surgery, but younger patients walked farther after discharge. Both groups walked less after surgery than before.
• PTRCT2018Feasibility of a home-based exercise intervention with remote guidance for patients with stable grade II and III gliomas: a pilot randomized controlled trial.Clinical rehabilitationMost exercise participants completed a home exercise programme combining prescribed aerobic activity, patient choice, a heart-rate watch, weekly upload, and remote physiotherapist feedback. Average adherence was 79%, aerobic fitness improved by 6.0% from baseline, and no exercise-induced injuries occurred, but recruitment was poor.
• PTOther2018Immediate effects of exercise intervention on cancer-related fatigue.Journal of physical therapy scienceHospitalized cancer patients had lower total fatigue scores on average immediately after exercise, but four worsened and two were unchanged and there was no control group.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2017A Systematic Review of Exercise Systematic Reviews in the Cancer Literature (2005-2017).PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationSupervised moderate to vigorous exercise generally improved fatigue, fitness and function in adults with cancer, according to 51 reviews. Exact dose and long-term effects remain unclear.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2017A Focused Review of Safety Considerations in Cancer Rehabilitation.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationCancer rehabilitation safety depends on treatment-related risks: blood counts, cardiopulmonary toxicity, neuropathy, lymphedema, frailty, bone metastases, neurologic changes, and emergencies. These are expert recommendations, not tested interventions.
• PTCohort2018Changes in exercise tolerance and quality of life are unrelated in lung cancer survivors who undergo video-assisted thoracic surgery.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 36 lung cancer survivors after minimally invasive thoracic surgery, changes in walking and strength tests were not related to changes in quality of life. Grip, walking, and endurance recovered by 4 weeks, but physical quality-of-life scores stayed below baseline.
• PTQualitative2017Exploring Determinants of Patient Adherence to a Portal-Supported Oncology Rehabilitation Program: Interview and Data Log Analyses.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologiesCancer survivors in a 12-week rehab program used the online portal less over time and almost stopped after treatment. They valued face-to-face group work, but portal use was linked to staff encouragement, easy access, and clear links to therapy.
• PTRCT2018Pelvic floor muscle training and electrical stimulation as rehabilitation after radical prostatectomy: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of physical therapy scienceAfter radical prostatectomy, pelvic floor exercises, with or without anal electrical stimulation, did not improve pelvic floor muscle strength more than routine instructions. Urinary and sexual function worsened after surgery and recovered similarly over time in all groups.
• PTCase-Control2018Using machine learning to identify patterns of lifetime health problems in decedents with autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchPeople with autism who died had more lifetime health problems, including epilepsy, long-term medication use and side effects, motor problems, choking, urinary, digestive and ear issues, but fewer records for alcohol abuse, hypertension and metastatic cancer. These are patterns, not treatment effects.
• PTOTSystematic Review2018Functional Impairments and Work-Related Outcomes in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review.Journal of occupational rehabilitationBreast cancer survivors' physical problems, especially limited shoulder and arm movement, were linked to poorer work outcomes. Cognitive problems were reported by survivors but not consistently linked to work outcomes. Emotional issues affected work in interviews but not in measured outcomes.
• PTCohort2018The risk of major cardiovascular events for adults with transfemoral amputation.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationOverall, adults with transfemoral amputation were no more likely to have a major cardiovascular event than matched controls, but those with dysvascular amputation had a four-fold higher risk. Prosthesis was not associated with a difference in cardiovascular event risk.
• PTRCT2019A Stimulus-Response Framework to Investigate the Influence of Continuous Versus Interval Walking Exercise on Select Serum Biomarkers in Knee Osteoarthritis.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationIn 27 people with knee OA, 45 minutes of continuous treadmill walking raised a blood marker linked to cartilage turnover and increased pain, while the same walking split into three 15-minute bouts with 1-hour rests did not.
• PTCohort2019Intra- and Interrater Reliability and Concurrent Validity of a New Tool for Assessment of Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema of the Upper Extremity.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationA standardized physical exam for breast cancer arm swelling scored 0 to 72 agreed with arm volume and stayed consistent across repeat exams. It is not proven to detect early swelling or change over time.
• PTOTCase Report2018Efficacy of scrambler therapy on breast cancer-related lymphedema.Journal of physical therapy scienceA single patient with breast cancer-related lymphedema reported pain dropping from 8 to 2 on a 10-point scale after ten scrambler therapy sessions. Arm circumference did not change, and body water decreased by a negligible 10 ml. This is one person, not a pattern.
• PTOther2018Which factors are associated with the functional recovery in patients undergoing endoprosthetic knee reconstruction following bone tumour resection? - A observational study.Archives of physiotherapyAt one year after knee tumour prosthesis surgery, standing balance was linked to walking speed, walking endurance and getting up and going. This suggests physiotherapists may add balance work to gait training, but no treatment was tested.
• PTRCT2019Postural sway, falls, and self-reported neuropathy in aging female cancer survivors.Gait & postureIn older female cancer survivors after chemotherapy, side-to-side sway frequency was associated with self-reported falls. Neuropathy symptoms were associated with higher-frequency sway. Overall sway magnitude was not associated with falls across the whole survivor group.
• PTOTCohort2019Predictors of Work-Related Disability During Early Phases of Breast Cancer Treatment.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationWomen with breast cancer who stayed working had more work-related disability than matched controls. Across the analysed sample, disability decreased over time, and physical problems were more closely linked to work difficulty than mood or cognition.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2019Gait and Balance Impairments in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationBreast 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.
• PTOTCohort2019Mortality due to cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and cancer in adults with cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyAdults with cerebral palsy in England died at higher rates from respiratory and circulatory diseases than the general population. Respiratory deaths were most elevated. Cancer mortality was not significantly higher. These findings highlight a need for vigilance regarding heart and lung health in this group.
• PTOther2019Exploring the Roles of Central and Peripheral Nervous System Function in Gait Stability: Preliminary Insights from Cancer Survivors.Gait & postureCancer survivors with chemotherapy and no to mild neuropathy symptoms showed worse dual-task treadmill stability than controls. In those with moderate to severe neuropathy, stability tracked executive function, but they did not differ significantly from controls.
• PTOTOther2019Employment Concerns and Associated Impairments of Women Living With Advanced Breast Cancer.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationMost women with advanced breast cancer had stopped working by the study. Many reported reduced productivity and need for rest. Lower function and more symptoms were linked to work distress, but this cross-sectional study cannot show what causes job loss.
• PTOTSurvey2019Differences in Perceived Risk at Which Clinician and Patient Stakeholders Initiate Activities to Prevent Late Effects Among Breast Cancer Survivors.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationBreast cancer survivors said they would start education and prevention at lower perceived risk than clinicians. Therapists had the lowest risk levels among clinicians, while surgeons and other physicians set higher levels.
• PTOTSystematic Review2019Understanding Low Back Pain in Traumatic Lower Limb Amputees: A Systematic Review.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationLow back pain is common in traumatic amputees, affecting 52.8% to 64%. Biomechanical studies show altered trunk motion and higher spinal loads, but the link to pain is unclear due to small sample sizes and inconsistent reporting.
• PTOther2019Onset factors of infective and non-infective complications in perioperative gastrointestinal cancer patients.Journal of physical therapy scienceAfter gastrointestinal cancer surgery, more blood loss and higher CRP level on day 3 were linked to infective complications. Lower preoperative respiratory function was also linked. Longer operation time was linked to non-infective complications. This study cannot prove cause.
• PTCohort2019Low Back Pain in Adults With Transfemoral Amputation: A Retrospective Population-Based Study.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationTransfemoral amputation was associated with more low back pain visits in dysvascular amputation. Early low back pain events were more likely in both amputation causes. Prosthesis findings were unclear.
• PTOTCohort2019Longitudinal Effects of Medical Comorbidities on Functional Outcome and Life Satisfaction After Traumatic Brain Injury: An Individual Growth Curve Analysis of NIDILRR Traumatic Brain Injury Model System Data.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationAfter moderate-severe brain injury, motor and cognitive independence rose for years, then fell by 10 years. Life satisfaction stayed stable. Anxiety, depression, PTSD, diabetes, and other comorbidities were associated with different function or life-satisfaction trajectories. These are associations, not proven causes.
• PTOTOther2020A Model-Based Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of an Exercise Program for Lung Cancer Survivors After Curative-Intent Treatment.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationIn a simulation, an exercise program cost $79,504 per added year of good health versus usual care. When patient time and travel were counted, it cost $179,774, above a $100,000 threshold.
• PTRCT2020Does trunk muscle training with an oscillating rod improve urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy? A prospective randomized controlled trial.Clinical rehabilitationAdding oscillating rod training to standard pelvic floor exercises reduced urine loss more than relaxation alone after three weeks. The biggest benefit was in men losing over 50 grams on a one-hour pad test, where the improvement was large.
• PTOTCohort2019Factors affecting the performance of activities of daily living in patients with advanced cancer undergoing inpatient rehabilitation: results from a retrospective observational study.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 48 patients with advanced cancer who improved or maintained daily living skills, higher rehabilitation intensity was linked to greater gains. Those with poor grooming ability at the start showed the most improvement. The study excluded patients who worsened, so it does not show what happens to everyone.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Prevalence of physical and mental health conditions in Medicare-enrolled, autistic older adults.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic older adults had significantly higher odds of nearly every physical and mental health condition compared to non-autistic peers. This included high risks for epilepsy, Parkinson’s, gastrointestinal issues, and suicidality. Clinicians should anticipate complex comorbidities in this population.
• PTOTSLPCohort2020Association of Neck Range of Motion and Skin Caliper Measures on Dysphagia Outcomes in Head and Neck Cancer and Effects of Neck Stretches and Swallowing Exercises.DysphagiaBetter neck movement and skin pliability correlate with less severe swallowing issues in head and neck cancer survivors. However, a 12-week program of neck stretches and swallowing exercises did not improve these physical measures or objective swallowing outcomes, despite patients reporting better quality of life.
• PTOTOther2020Incidence of cachexia in patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer at the beginning of rehabilitation intervention.Journal of physical therapy scienceAt the start of rehabilitation, 57 of 96 advanced gastrointestinal cancer patients had cachexia and 16 had pre-cachexia. The cachexia group had lower daily living scores and worse nutrition risk, so PTs and OTs may need to consider cachexia when choosing exercise load.
• PTOTOther2020Association between preoperative sleep disturbance and low muscle mass in patients with gastrointestinal cancer.Journal of physical therapy sciencePreoperative patients with gastrointestinal cancer who reported poor sleep quality were significantly more likely to have low muscle mass than those with good sleep quality. This association persisted after adjusting for inflammation and depression. Screening for sleep quality may help identify patients at risk for sarcopenia before surgery.
• PTOTSLPRCT2020Predictors of cognitive development in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 and plexiform neurofibromas.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren with NF1 and plexiform neurofibromas show widening gaps in math, writing, and executive function over time. Those with parents who also have NF1 or lower parental education decline fastest. Regular school-based assessments and targeted support are critical.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2020Interventions for Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema: Clinical Practice Guideline From the Academy of Oncologic Physical Therapy of APTA.Physical therapyGuideline recommends prospective surveillance and supervised progressive exercise as safe early interventions. For established lymphedema, complete decongestive therapy is standard, but manual lymphatic drainage may be omitted without losing volume reduction. Compression garments are first-line for early stages.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Attenuation of core temperature elevation and interleukin-6 excretion during head-out hot water immersion in elderly people.Journal of physical therapy scienceHead-out hot water immersion failed to raise IL-6 in elderly men, unlike in young men. Core temperature also rose less in the elderly. This method does not replicate the exercise-induced IL-6 response in older adults.
• PTQualitative2020Challenges of Developing a Natural Language Processing Method With Electronic Health Records to Identify Persons With Chronic Mobility Disability.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationWheelchair keywords in health records did not prove chronic wheelchair use. Notes mentioned wheelchairs for transport, exams, temporary use, or another person. Reason and duration were often missing.
• PTOTSLPOther2020Cause of death in adults with Down syndrome in the United States.Disability and health journalAdults with Down syndrome face much higher death risks from choking, pneumonitis, and early-onset dementia. They also have lower cancer death rates. Clinicians should screen for swallowing issues and start dementia checks by age 35.
• PTOTQualitative2021Exploring Cancer Treatment Experiences for Patients With Preexisting Mobility Disability.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationPatients with pre-existing mobility disability reported that prior negative healthcare experiences and fears of losing function drove them to refuse or alter cancer treatments. They also faced inaccessible equipment and staff who lacked disability-specific knowledge, leading to unmet basic needs.
• PTOther2021Mobilization and Exercise Intervention for Patients With Multiple Myeloma: Clinical Practice Guidelines Endorsed by the Canadian Physiotherapy Association.Physical therapyPhysical therapists can mobilize multiple myeloma patients with low blood counts if they monitor for adverse signs. Exercise is safe with platelet counts above 10,000/μL using gentle movements, and hemoglobin levels below 8 g/dL require close vital sign checks rather than withholding therapy.
• PTRCT2020"I Have Everything to Win and Nothing to Lose": Patient Experiences of Mobilization Out of Bed Immediately After Abdominal Surgery.Physical therapyAfter immediate postoperative mobilization, patients described clearer thinking, easier breathing, and feeling safer when staff were competent and prepared them. They wanted to get home, but some could not remember the mobilization and focused on cancer results.
• PTOTNarrative Review2021A review of movement disorders in chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationCancer survivors with chemotherapy-induced neurotoxicity show excessive side-to-side sway, slower shorter steps, and jerky grasping. These objective movement deficits link to sensory loss but may also involve weakness or vision reliance, requiring targeted assessment beyond patient reports.
• PTSurvey2020Physiotherapy management of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in Pretoria, South Africa.The South African journal of physiotherapyMost Pretoria physiotherapists treating chemotherapy-induced neuropathy use stability and strengthening exercises, soft tissue work and sensory integration. Few use electrotherapy. This describes current local practice, not evidence that any technique reduces symptoms.
• PTOTCohort2020Does age of patients with gastrointestinal cancer impact postoperative physical function and quality of life? A prospective study using the new Japanese elderly standard.Journal of physical therapy sciencePatients aged 75 or older had shorter walking distance, weaker knee extension, and lower physical functioning and mental health at 4 weeks after surgery. Body mass index fell in all age groups, but knee force and walking distance did not change overall.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Delivering Virtual Cancer Rehabilitation Programming During the First 90 Days of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multimethod Study.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationVirtual cancer rehab kept high attendance and increased visit volume during the pandemic. However, therapists found assessing physical impairments and teaching exercises difficult without in-person exams. Video was preferred over phone, and an initial in-person assessment was recommended for complex cases.
• PTOTNarrative Review2021Breast edema, from diagnosis to treatment: state of the art.Archives of physiotherapyBreast edema after breast-conserving surgery and radiotherapy often improves after treatment ends. Monitor with the BrEQ and physical exam, and treat persistent cases with skin care, compression and exercise, without manual lymphatic drainage.
• PTOTOther2021Does pre-operative physical rehabilitation improve the functional outcomes of patients undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery?Journal of physical therapy sciencePatients who improved their walking distance before GI cancer surgery maintained it four weeks after, while those who deteriorated lost about 15% of it. However, this pre-operative gain did not reduce post-operative complications or improve quality of life scores compared to those who did not improve.