Body awareness, arm function, and quality of life in women after breast cancer treatment
Body Awareness, Upper Extremity Function, and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Case-Control Study
This project will see if women who recently finished treatment for breast cancer have changes in arm function, awareness of their body, and quality of life compared with healthy women.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 42 (estimated) |
| Ages | 25 Years to 75 Years |
| Sex | Female |
| Sponsor | Halic University Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | chemotherapy, radiation |
| Locations | 2 sites (Istanbul and 1 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT07133087 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This observational study will compare women aged 25–75 who completed primary treatment for Stage 0–III breast cancer within the last six months to age- and BMI-matched healthy controls. Participants will attend in-person visits at Halic University and Yeditepe Hospital in Istanbul for standardized tests of upper extremity function, validated body-awareness questionnaires, and quality-of-life measures between May and October 2025. Key exclusions include recent neuromuscular disorders, recent upper-extremity/thoracic/cervical rehabilitation, or medications that affect neuromuscular performance. Results will be used to quantify treatment-related functional and perceptual changes and to inform post-treatment follow-up and rehabilitation priorities.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Women aged 25–75 with Stage 0–III breast cancer who completed surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation within the past six months and have physician clearance are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Men, people treated for breast cancer more than six months ago, those with neuromuscular disorders or recent upper-extremity rehabilitation, and patients on medications that affect neuromuscular performance are unlikely to benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help clinicians identify common arm and body-awareness problems after breast cancer and guide targeted rehabilitation to improve quality of life.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work has documented upper-extremity impairments and reduced quality of life after breast cancer, but combining objective arm-function testing with formal measures of body awareness is relatively novel and less well studied.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria for breast cancer survivors: * Being a woman * Being between the ages of 25 and 75 * Having been diagnosed with Stage 0-III breast cancer * Having completed primary treatments (surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy) no more than 6 months prior to the assessment date * Having received medical clearance from a physician * Having undergone either breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy due to breast cancer * Willingness to participate in the study voluntarily Exclusion Criteria for breast cancer survivors: * Having a history of rehabilitation due to upper extremity, thoracic, or cervical musculoskeletal disorders within 6 months prior to the breast cancer diagnosis * Having a history of neuromuscular dysfunction * Using medications that may affect neuromuscular performance Inclusion criteria for the control group: * Being a woman * Having a body mass index (BMI) within ±3 kg/m² of the breast cancer survivor group * Being within ±5 years of age compared to the breast cancer survivor group * Matching hand dominance with the breast cancer survivor group Exclusion criteria for the control group: * Having a history of neuromuscular dysfunction * Using medications that may affect neuromuscular performance * Having a history of rehabilitation due to upper extremity, thoracic, or cervical musculoskeletal disorders within the last 6 months
Where this trial is running
Istanbul and 1 other locations
- Halic University — Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye) (Recruiting)
- Yeditepe Hospital — Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye) (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Seda Saka, PhD
- Email: sedasaka@halic.edu.tr
- Phone: 05447803417
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.