Body Awareness, Upper Extremity Function, and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors

Body Awareness, Upper Extremity Function, and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Case-Control Study

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among women and one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. With increasing survival rates, issues such as treatment-related morbidities and consequently upper extremity dysfunction, reduced body awareness, and decreased quality of life are frequently encountered. In the literature, the impact of treatment-related morbidities-particularly on upper extremity functions, body awareness, and quality of life-among women who have survived breast cancer treatment has not been sufficiently investigated. This gap constitutes a significant shortcoming in terms of clinical practices and the post-treatment period.

This study aims to examine the effects of breast cancer treatment on upper extremity functions, body awareness, and quality of life in women who have survived breast cancer treatment, in comparison with a healthy control group. The study will be conducted at Yeditepe University Koşuyolu Hospital between May, 2025, and October, 2025. Participants will include women who have survived breast cancer treatment and a healthy control group matched based on criteria such as age and body mass index.

In the study, three separate assessments will be conducted for upper extremity functions: the "Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand" (QuickDASH) questionnaire for upper extremity functionality, a hand dynamometer for grip strength, and the Clinometer device for shoulder joint position sense. The "Body Awareness Questionnaire" will be used to assess body awareness, and the "EORTC QLQ-C30" scale will be used for quality of life assessment. The IBM SPSS Statistics software package will be used for data analysis. In statistical analyses, a significance level of p<0.05 will be considered.

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