Breast Cancer Survivorship and the Role of Physical Therapy

The conundrum of the more than 2.8 million breast cancer survivors in the United States:

MD to patient: Congratulations! You are cancer-free
Patient: That’s fantastic news! I still have pain, though.
MD to patient: But you are cancer free!
Patient: Wonderful! But I can’t raise my arm above my head.
MD to patient: But you are cancer free!
Patient: Amazing! But I have swelling in my chest and arm.
MD to Patient: But you are cancer free!
Patient: But I can’t play tennis, golf, swim, lift weights, play with my kids

You get the point.

Currently, success of breast cancer treatment is based on being cancer free, with little emphasis placed on quality of life. What if, however, success was based on being cancer-free AND living pain-free, active and healthy? Physical Therapy can be a game changer.

The benefits of Physical Therapy in breast cancer survivorship:

Improved physical well-being
Improved emotional well-being
Management of swelling and lymphedema
Assists in maintaining bone mineral density

Pain Management
Improvement in Range of Motion of the Shoulder, Thorax and Neck

– quality of life
– exercise capacity
– flexibility
– body composition
– fatigue
– muscular endurance
– Pain, nausea, diarrhea, sense of control, depression, self-esteem, and
life satisfaction were also improved