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 4 OF 7 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOther2021The detrimental association between fear of falling and motor performance in older cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.Gait & postureOlder cancer survivors with chemotherapy-induced neuropathy and high fear of falling walked 16.1% slower and had 12.4% shorter strides than those with low fear. Postural sway did not differ.
• PTCase Report2021Upper Extremity Superficial Vein Thromboses Presenting as Acute Neck Pain in a Young and Healthy Male: A Case Report.International journal of sports physical therapyA young soldier's acute neck pain was musculoskeletal in appearance but resistant to therapy. A rising blood pressure trend and an elevated D-dimer prompted referral, revealing superficial vein thromboses likely caused by prolonged crutch use. This case highlights that unexplained pain worsening despite care warrants vital sign review.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021Leisure and Productivity in Older Adults with Cancer: A Systematic Review.Occupational therapy internationalCancer limits social leisure and physical activity in older adults, with 14% to 18% reporting social restrictions. Patients often abandon valued tasks for low-demand activities. Evidence for occupational therapy interventions is sparse, relying mostly on case reports rather than trials.
• PTOTCohort2021Differences in physical function across cancer recovery phases: Findings from the 2015 National Health Interview Survey.The British journal of occupational therapyRecent cancer survivors reported significantly more difficulty with high-level tasks like standing for two hours, walking a quarter-mile, and working than those two or more years post-diagnosis. Basic daily activities like eating and bathing showed no difference. Screening should prioritize mobility and work capacity early in recovery.
• PTOTCohort2021Preoperative physical activity and functional performance levels are predictors of acute postoperative outcomes in a private South African colorectal cancer cohort.The South African journal of physiotherapyIn this colorectal surgery cohort, patients with lower preoperative vigorous activity stayed in hospital longer, and those with poorer functional performance had more postoperative complications. Screening these two factors before surgery may help identify patients at higher risk for a difficult recovery.
• PTCohort2021The Feasibility of Prehabilitation as Part of the Breast Cancer Treatment Pathway.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationPatients wanted prehabilitation but short surgery waits meant only 24 of 61 interested patients could attend. Anxiety scores improved in those who did. Other outcomes showed no significant change. The study proves delivery is possible but not that the program improves function.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Employment After Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Among Women in the Sister and the Two Sister Studies.Journal of occupational rehabilitationMost breast cancer survivors kept their jobs, but those with neuropathy affecting work or poor general health were much more likely to lose employment. Lymphedema was not a significant predictor. Survivors often worked fewer hours or feared losing insurance rather than quitting.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021Functional Gains in Children Receiving Inpatient Rehabilitation After Brain Tumor Resection.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationChildren recovering from brain tumor surgery showed significant functional gains during inpatient rehab and continued improving three months after discharge. Earlier admission and older age predicted better outcomes, but tumor location and neurological risk scores did not add predictive value beyond basic patient characteristics.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Cause of death trends among adults with and without cerebral palsy in the United States, 2013-2017.Annals of physical and rehabilitation medicineAdults with cerebral palsy die 24 years younger than peers. They are far more likely to die from respiratory causes and choking, but less likely to die from heart disease and cancer. Clinicians must monitor respiratory health and swallowing safety throughout adulthood.
• PTOTPilot2022Acute Physiological Effects of Continuous Versus Intermittent Walking During Golf in Individuals With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Pilot Study.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationWalking a golf course increased knee pain and cartilage stress markers in people with knee osteoarthritis, while using a motorized cart limited these effects. However, walking provided significantly higher cardiovascular exercise intensity. Both methods met daily aerobic guidelines, so cart use is a viable option for those whose pain worsens with walking.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2021Primary Melanocytomas of the Spinal Cord: Case Studies and Rehabilitation Perspectives.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationPatients with rare spinal cord tumors had functional gains after surgery and inpatient rehabilitation, but no comparison group means these cases cannot show rehabilitation caused the gains.
• PTCohort2022Predictors of Outpatient Pulmonary Rehabilitation Uptake, Adherence, Completion, and Treatment Response Among Male U.S. Veterans With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationCurrent smoking, alcohol use disorder history, and worse breathlessness were linked to lower pulmonary rehabilitation completion among 253 male veterans with COPD; cancer history was linked to higher completion. Logistical barriers were the most common reason for not attending.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Predictors of Acute Transfer and Mortality Within 6 Months From Admission to an Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility for Patients With Brain Tumors.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationPatients with brain tumors admitted to rehab had a 20.2% acute transfer rate and 36.9% six-month mortality. Prior chemotherapy, steroid use, and recurrent disease were linked to these outcomes. Functional status on admission did not predict transfer or death.
• PTOTOther2022Prevalence of Long-Term Opioid Therapy in a Chronic Non-Cancer Pain Population Attending a University-Based Tertiary Pain Clinic in Sweden: A Cross-Sectional Study.Journal of rehabilitation medicine38% of 1,613 chronic non-cancer pain patients at a Swedish tertiary pain clinic had dispensed opioids in 90 days, and 22.3% were on long-term therapy. Among those on long-term therapy, 10.6% had dispensed opioids at high doses.
• PTOTCase-Control2022Cancer survivors post-chemotherapy exhibit unique proprioceptive deficits in proximal limbs.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationCancer survivors treated with oxaliplatin showed specific deficits in matching force without visual feedback, but not in reaching or posture. These proximal proprioceptive errors correlated with self-reported motor dysfunction, suggesting force matching may be a more sensitive clinical measure than standard distal symptom surveys.
• PTPilot2021Feasibility and benefits of a structured prehabilitation programme prior to autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in patients with myeloma; a prospective feasibility study.PhysiotherapyBefore stem cell transplant, myeloma patients completed a supervised exercise programme and walked farther at follow-up. The programme was acceptable and had no serious adverse events, but too few stayed in the study to confirm a larger trial is ready.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022The Relationships Between Radiation Dosage and Long-term Swallowing Kinematics and Timing in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Survivors.DysphagiaIn long-term nasopharyngeal carcinoma survivors, higher radiation to most swallowing muscles linked to worse kinematics. However, higher radiation to the inferior pharyngeal constrictor appeared to preserve hyolaryngeal elevation, a counterintuitive finding that does not prove this structure is safe.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2022White Paper by the European Society for Swallowing Disorders: Screening and Non-instrumental Assessment for Dysphagia in Adults.DysphagiaMany commonly used dysphagia screening tools and patient questionnaires have poor or unproven accuracy. The paper recommends stopping use of unvalidated measures and relying only on tools with strong evidence for the specific patient population being assessed.
• PTCohort2021Safety of rehabilitation interventions for patients with hematologic diseases associated with low blood counts-verification focusing on blood cancer.Journal of physical therapy sciencePatients with low blood counts who were allowed to continue rehabilitation while admitted for hematologic disease had a shorter hospital stay than those whose rehabilitation was stopped. Fever was more common, but no falls or fractures were reported.
• PTOTRCT2022Swallowing Exercise During Head and Neck Cancer Treatment: Results of a Randomized Trial.DysphagiaSwallowing exercises plus progressive resistance training during head and neck cancer radiotherapy did not improve swallowing safety versus usual care. Some mouth opening and symptom benefits appeared, but the two exercise types cannot be separated.
• PTOTPilot2022Adjunctive Inspiratory Muscle Training During a Rehabilitation Program in Patients With Breast Cancer: An Exploratory Double-Blind, Randomized, Controlled Pilot Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationAdding inspiratory muscle training to rehab for breast cancer survivors improved breathing muscle endurance and daily-life breathlessness versus sham. However, the primary measure of breathlessness during exercise showed no significant difference between groups.
• PTOTCohort2022Longer Daily Duration of Supervised Rehabilitation after Laparoscopic Surgery for Colorectal Cancer Improves Activities of Daily Living.Journal of rehabilitation medicinePatients receiving over 40 minutes of daily supervised rehabilitation after colorectal cancer surgery showed greater improvement in activities of daily living at 14 days than those receiving less. This observational data suggests longer daily therapy time correlates with better functional recovery.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2021Mechanisms of Aminoglycoside- and Cisplatin-Induced Ototoxicity.American journal of audiologyAminoglycosides and cisplatin enter inner ear hair cells through specific ion channels, causing permanent hearing and balance loss. Inflammation, noise exposure, and certain co-administered drugs significantly worsen this damage. Clinicians should monitor high-risk patients closely during and after treatment.
• PTQualitative2022Physical Therapists in Oncology Settings: Experiences in Delivering Cancer Rehabilitation Services, Barriers to Care, and Service Development Needs.Physical therapyPhysical therapists in Irish cancer care reported that low staffing, funding gaps, and poor awareness of their role limit service growth. They identified lymphoedema and community rehab as urgent needs and called for national standards.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Using ICF to Describe Problems With Functioning in Everyday Life for Children Who Completed Treatment for Brain Tumor: An Analysis Based on Professionals' Documentation.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesRecords for nine brain tumor survivors focused almost exclusively on body functions, ignoring how these problems link to school and social participation. Therapists should stop assuming medical charts capture daily life barriers and explicitly document activity limitations and environmental supports.
• PTOTRCT2021Effectiveness of Lymphedema Prevention Programs With Compression Garment After Lymphatic Node Dissection in Breast Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAdding prophylactic compression garments to standard education and exercise did not significantly lower lymphedema rates at 2 years compared to standard care alone. However, patients who wore the garment daily for 8 hours in the first 3 months had significantly lower incidence than those who did not.
• PTOther2022Functional outcomes of cancer patients in an acute inpatient setting at King Fahad Medical City.Journal of physical therapy scienceMobility and quality-of-life scores rose from admission to discharge among 99 hospitalized adults receiving standard inpatient physical therapy. Without a control group, the paper cannot show therapy caused the change.
• PTOTSystematic Review2021Effectiveness of Self-Monitoring Approach Using Fitness Trackers to Improve Walking Ability in Rehabilitation Settings: A Systematic Review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAdding fitness trackers to usual rehabilitation showed little to no improvement in walking ability across most conditions. Stable COPD patients saw a small increase in walking distance that was still below the threshold for clinical importance. Trackers alone are not a fix for gait deficits.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Can YouTube be used as an educational tool in lymphedema rehabilitation?Archives of physiotherapyMost YouTube videos on lymphedema rehabilitation were low quality, with poor sourcing and missing safety information. Educational videos for professionals and those from universities scored higher than patient videos or manufacturer ads, but overall reliability remained insufficient for safe self-guidance.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Co-occurring conditions and racial-ethnic disparities: Medicaid enrolled adults on the autism spectrum.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchMedicaid-enrolled autistic adults had higher rates of most mental health conditions and several physical ones, but lower rates of others like stroke and cerebral palsy. Significant racial-ethnic disparities existed in both physical and mental health diagnoses compared to white autistic adults.
• PTOTSystematic Review2022Rehabilitation Research in Denmark Between 2001 and 2020: A Scoping Review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences1,779 Danish rehabilitation studies were mostly about musculoskeletal conditions, cancer, and cardiac disease. Few covered rheumatic disease, diabetes, or substance abuse, and hospitals contributed most work.
• PTOTCase Report2022Improvement in lower extremity hemiplegia in a post-operative brain tumor patient by applying an integrated volitional control electrical stimulator.Journal of physical therapy scienceA man with post-surgical leg paralysis walked faster after IVES gait training, improving from 10.9 to 9.43 seconds over 10 meters. Balance and muscle control also changed, but this single case cannot prove the device works for others.
• PTOTPilot2022Myosteatosis as a Shared Biomarker for Sarcopenia and Cachexia Using MRI and Ultrasound.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesUltrasound echo intensity correlated strongly with MRI fat fraction, suggesting it can estimate muscle fat infiltration at the bedside. However, neither measure distinguished healthy older adults from those undergoing cancer treatment, and traditional mass metrics like BMI showed no such correlation.
• PTOTCohort2022Factors that affect early postoperative health-related quality of life in patients with gastrointestinal cancer: a three-center cohort study.Journal of physical therapy scienceFour weeks after gastrointestinal cancer surgery, most quality-of-life scores dropped, but mental health improved. Walking distance at four weeks and baseline vitality predicted physical function, while walking distance, income, and baseline general health predicted general health.
• PTOther2022Evolution of the thematic structure and main producers of physical therapy interventions research: A bibliometric analysis (1986 to 2017).Brazilian journal of physical therapyPhysical therapy research has shifted over thirty years. Topics like neurological rehabilitation and physical activity gained prominence, while others like health economics faded. The United States, UK, and Australia remain the most productive countries, though China and Brazil are rising fast.
• PTOTQualitative2022Practice-Based Evidence to Support Return to Work in Cancer Patients.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesBelgian oncology staff said they lack knowledge of legal reintegration rules and rarely contact employers directly. Work support usually waits for patient requests. A dedicated coordinator was seen as essential, but no single discipline claimed that role.
• PTPilot2022Integrating Complementary Medicine Into the Care of Childhood Cancer Survivors: A Brief Report on the Preliminary Framework and Implementation of an Educational Program.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesCaregivers of childhood cancer survivors in Hong Kong rated Chinese medicine education useful and said they would adopt diet, herbal tea, exercise, and acupressure advice. This measured willingness, not health benefit.
• PTCohort2022Factors associated with unplanned transfers among cancer patients at a freestanding acute rehabilitation facility.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationIn cancer inpatient rehab, factors were linked to more unplanned transfers to acute care: gastrointestinal cancer, a 6-minute walk under 90 meters, and a previous unplanned transfer.
• PTCohort2022Mobility Analysis of AmpuTees (MAAT 7): Normative Mobility Values for Lower Limb Prosthesis Users of Varying Age, Etiology, and Amputation Level.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationMobility scores varied by age and cause of amputation. People with diabetes or dysvascular disease, and older adults, had the lowest scores. For congenital below-knee users, the study did not show clear age differences. These norms can help set realistic goals.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022Adaptation of the Core Set for Vocational Rehabilitation for Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Consensus-Based Study.Journal of occupational rehabilitationCancer survivors prioritized mental functions, interpersonal relationships, and workplace support for return to work. Stakeholders confirmed the adapted checklist covers these areas but recommended a single coordinator to manage the multi-disciplinary assessment.
• PTOTNarrative Review2022Effects of Exercise Mode on Improving Cardiovascular Function and Cardiorespiratory Fitness After Bariatric Surgery: A Narrative Review.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationAerobic exercise improves cardiorespiratory fitness in bariatric surgery patients, often without additional weight loss. Resistance training alone did not improve fitness but helped maintain muscle. Combining both is recommended to maximize health benefits and prevent muscle loss, though evidence remains limited and protocols need standardization.
• PTOTSLPCohort2023Relationship Between Cachexia and the Functional Progress of Patients With Cancer in Inpatient Rehabilitation.American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitationMost cancer patients in inpatient rehab had cachexia, yet those with moderate weight loss recovered function as well as those without. Only the most severe cases gained less function and had poorer survival, suggesting standard rehab remains effective for many.
• PTOTCohort2022Five-Year Cumulative Incidence of Axillary Web Syndrome and Comparison in Upper Extremity Movement, Function, Pain, and Lymphedema in Survivors of Breast Cancer With and Without Axillary Web Syndrome.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationAxillary web syndrome persisted in 50% of survivors five years after breast cancer surgery. While function and pain did not differ between those with and without the condition, survivors with AWS had significantly reduced shoulder abduction range of motion both early and late post-surgery.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2022Predictors of functional outcomes in adults with brain tumor undergoing rehabilitation treatment: a systematic review.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineRehabilitation improves physical function and daily living in adults with brain tumors. Outcomes are comparable to those seen in stroke and traumatic brain injury. There are no standardized guidelines for assessment or timing, so treatment must be tailored to each patient's functional status.
• PTCohort2023Feasibility and Safety of Active Physiotherapy in the Intensive Care Unit for Intubated Patients with Malignancy.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIntubated cancer patients in the ICU received physiotherapy as often as non-cancer patients. Adverse events were rare and similar in both groups. This supports starting mobilization in ICU patients with malignancy, despite their longer stays and lower initial strength.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022Perspectives of Participation in Daily Life From Cancer Survivors: A Qualitative Analysis.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationCancer survivors defined participation as doing valued activities, driven by control, social connection, context, and joy. They did not emphasize societal barriers or community engagement, unlike other disability groups. Rehabilitation providers should assess these personal aspects to better understand survivors' priorities and distress when restricted.
• PTOTPilot2022Muscle mass and physical function in patients with bladder cancer-Data from a prematurely terminated prospective cohort study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesNo patients met standard sarcopenia criteria, but 64% had slow walking speed. Slow walking appeared more common than low muscle mass or strength, suggesting standard tests may miss functional decline in bladder cancer patients.
• PTOTOther2022Perspectives on the Direction of Cancer Prehabilitation in the Pandemic and Beyond.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationA home-based cancer prehabilitation program using phone calls and a digital diary improved walking distance, leg strength, and anxiety in 188 patients. It remained feasible during lockdowns, but without a control group, it is unclear if the program itself caused these gains.
• PTOTSystematic Review2022Fatigue, post-exertional malaise and orthostatic intolerance: a map of Cochrane evidence relevant to rehabilitation for people with post COVID-19 condition.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineCochrane reviews show exercise and education can reduce fatigue in other chronic diseases, but evidence is very low to moderate. No reviews exist for post-exertional malaise or orthostatic intolerance. Apply treatments cautiously, ruling out cardiac issues first.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2022Dyspnea: a map of Cochrane evidence relevant to rehabilitation for people with post COVID-19 condition.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicinePulmonary rehabilitation and exercise training may improve dyspnea in chronic respiratory conditions, but evidence is low to moderate quality. No direct evidence exists for post-COVID dyspnea. Clinicians must check for post-exertional symptom exacerbation before applying these protocols.