Timing of Specific Exercise Therapy After Breast Cancer Surgery: Early Versus Delayed Initiation

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Breast Cancer

In brief

This single-center, parallel-group randomized controlled trial (RCT) will compare two timings for initiating specific exercise therapy after breast cancer surgery. The study tests whether early initiation (within the first postoperative week) versus delayed initiation (at 3 weeks postoperative) results in superior upper limb function at 6 months as measured by the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire. Secondary outcomes include pain intensity (Visual Analog Scale, VAS) and wound-related complications such as drainage time and hematoma incidence.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT06918184

Run by

Al Hayah University In Cairo

People needed

140

Starts

2025-04-15

Expected to finish

2026-11-15

Last updated by the study team

2025-04-09

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 65. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Women aged 18-65 years.
• Scheduled to undergo breast cancer surgery with axillary node dissection.
• At risk for upper limb morbidity based on preoperative assessment.
• Able to provide informed consent and complete study questionnaires.
• Willing and able to attend scheduled physiotherapy sessions and follow-up evaluations.

You may not qualify if…

• Diagnosis of recurrent or metastatic breast cancer.
• Concurrent participation in another rehabilitation intervention or clinical trial.
• Severe comorbidities (e.g., uncontrolled cardiovascular disease, severe orthopedic conditions) that preclude safe participation.
• History of previous shoulder surgery or chronic upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders unrelated to breast cancer treatment.
• Inability to understand or complete study materials in English.
• Pregnancy or lactation.

Where it is running

• Faculty of Physical Therapy, Al Hayah University — Cairo, Egypt (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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