Clinical trial · Observational
Factors Affecting Functionality in Breast Cancer Survivors
Investigation of the Factors of Hang-Grip Strength-related Upper Extremity Functionality After Breast Cancer Surgery
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer type in women globally. In conjunction with the new developments, breast cancer survival has increased therefore the management of long-term complications has gained importance. Breast cancer survivors can face the loss of muscle strength, increased fatigue and diminished physical function associated with treatment-related long term effects and psychological affection and thereby reduced quality of life. Upper extremity lymphedema or breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is one of the most prominent long term complications which affects breast cancer survivors in many ways after breast cancer surgery. It has been reported that breast cancer survivors with BCRL have the lower muscle strength and more activity limitations when compared to the ones free of BCRL. In BCRL, affected extremity has been found to 36% more weaker when compared to the unaffected side. Fatigue is one of the most prominent symptoms when considering cancer-related symptoms in cancer survivors. It has been stated that increased fatigue is correlated with increased activity limitation and deterioration in physical function. The hand-grip test which is frequently used in the assessment of decreased muscle function has been stated as a reliable and repeatable test in breast cancer survivors. In addition, this test is frequently applicable to assess mortality, physical and functional capacity, symptoms after surgery and to designate an exercise program. There are studies that investigate upper extremity function associated with hang-grip strength in breast cancer survivors. Yet, there is a lack of the objective result or conclusion of the BCRL effect on upper extremity function which is assessed with hang-grip strength when compared without BCRL. Therefore, this study is planned to investigate of cumulative effects of factors such as lymphedema severity, age, fatigue, body mass index, muscle strength, physical activity level, pain level, exercise benefits/barriers scale score on hand-grip strength related upper extremity functionality in breast cancer survivors.
Conditions
Conditions (6)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breast Cancer | Malignant Breast Neoplasm | CURATED_EXACT | 0.92 |
| Breast Cancer Female | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
| Breast Cancer Lymphedema | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
| Breast Carcinoma in Situ | Breast Carcinoma In Situ | ONTOLOGY_EXACT | 0.98 |
| Hand Grasp | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
| Pain, Shoulder | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
Interventions
Interventions (9)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beck Depression Scale | Other | — | UNRESOLVED |
| Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand Scale (DASH) | Other | — | UNRESOLVED |
| Exercise Benefits/ Barriers Scale | Other | — | UNRESOLVED |
| Fatigue Impact Scale | Other | — | UNRESOLVED |
| Hand-Grip Strength Measurement | Other | — | UNRESOLVED |
| International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) | Other | — | UNRESOLVED |
| Muscle strength measurement | Other | — | UNRESOLVED |
| Pain Threshold Measurement | Other | — |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (1)
- label
- Breast Cancer Survivors
- description
- Female breast cancer survivors who underwent unilateral breast cancer surgery ( total or conservative) and completed their adjuvant therapies such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy prior to participation in this study.
- interventionNames
- Other: Tissue Dielectric Constant Measurement
- Other: Muscle strength measurement
- Other: Hand-Grip Strength Measurement
- Other: Pain Threshold Measurement
- Other: International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF)
- Other: Fatigue Impact Scale
- Other: Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand Scale (DASH)
- Other: Exercise Benefits/ Barriers Scale
- Other: Beck Depression Scale
Primary outcomes (1)
- measure
- Hand-Grip Strength
- timeFrame
- 15 minutes
- description
- Handgrip strength will be assessed with LaFayette Professional Hand Dynamometer, Model 5030L1, LaFayette Instruments, NY, USA). The standard position which can be achieved by 90-degree elbow flexion, shoulder abducted, and hand mid-prone positioned; 90-degree shoulder abduction and 90-degree shoulder abduction positions will be used to assess hang-grip strength. Three measurements will be requested and the maximum value of them will be recorded. 1 minute resting period will be provided between the positions at which handgrip is assessed.
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- Female
- Minimum age
- 25 Years
- Maximum age
- 65 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: * Being aged between 25 and 65 years old * Having the ability to read and write in the Turkish language * Having unilateral (right or left) breast cancer surgery history * Being a woman * Finished adjuvant therapies such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy prior to participation Exclusion Criteria: * Active infection * Active/recurrent malignity * Having orthopedic and/or neurological defect * Having an advanced postural deficiency * Having nerve injury (Ulnar, median, radial nerve) * Having a loss of sensory * Bilateral (both side) breast cancer surgery * Having mental and cognitive problems which can interfere to participate * Serious range of movement restriction in shoulder, elbow and/or wrist joints * Having Carpal Tunnel Syndrome * Having reflex denervation and abnormal neural findings
References
Publications (19)
- BACKGROUNDDe Angelis R, Tavilla A, Verdecchia A, Scoppa S, Hachey M, Feuer EJ, Mariotto AB. Breast cancer survivors in the United States: geographic variability and time trends, 2005-2015. Cancer. 2009 May 1;115(9):1954-66. doi: 10.1002/cncr.24217. PMID 19248047
- BACKGROUNDFong DY, Ho JW, Hui BP, Lee AM, Macfarlane DJ, Leung SS, Cerin E, Chan WY, Leung IP, Lam SH, Taylor AJ, Cheng KK. Physical activity for cancer survivors: meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ. 2012 Jan 30;344:e70. doi: 10.1136/bmj.e70. PMID 22294757
- BACKGROUNDSatariano WA, Ragland DR, DeLorenze GN. Limitations in upper-body strength associated with breast cancer: a comparison of black and white women. J Clin Epidemiol. 1996 May;49(5):535-44. doi: 10.1016/0895-4356(95)00565-x. PMID 8636727
- BACKGROUNDArmer JM. The problem of post-breast cancer lymphedema: impact and measurement issues. Cancer Invest. 2005;23(1):76-83. PMID 15779870
- BACKGROUNDSmoot B, Wong J, Cooper B, Wanek L, Topp K, Byl N, Dodd M. Upper extremity impairments in women with or without lymphedema following breast cancer treatment. J Cancer Surviv. 2010 Jun;4(2):167-78. doi: 10.1007/s11764-010-0118-x. Epub 2010 Apr 7. PMID 20373044
- BACKGROUNDLee D, Hwang JH, Chu I, Chang HJ, Shim YH, Kim JH. Analysis of factors related to arm weakness in patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema. Support Care Cancer. 2015 Aug;23(8):2297-304. doi: 10.1007/s00520-014-2584-6. Epub 2015 Jan 10. PMID 25576430
- BACKGROUNDNesvold IL, Reinertsen KV, Fossa SD, Dahl AA. The relation between arm/shoulder problems and quality of life in breast cancer survivors: a cross-sectional and longitudinal study. J Cancer Surviv. 2011 Mar;5(1):62-72. doi: 10.1007/s11764-010-0156-4. Epub 2010 Oct 23. PMID 20972640