Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36355217›Full record

ReviewSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2022

The role of physical arm function and demographic disparities in breast cancer survivors' ability to return to work.

Meghan E Vidt, Jared Heitzenrater, Daleela Dodge, John Potochny, Kristine Widders, Melody Paulishak, Dino Ravnic, Cathy R Henry, Michael Green, Rena Kass and 1 more

Abstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Prognostic factors for return to work in breast cancer survivors.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Post-treatment adaptation experiences of women breast cancer survivors: a qualitative study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Meghan E VidtDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, 331 Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA. mzv130@psu.edu.
Jared HeitzenraterDepartment of Public Health Sciences, Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA.
Daleela DodgeDepartment of Surgery, Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA.
John PotochnyDepartment of Surgery, Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA.
Kristine WiddersDepartment of Surgery, Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA.
Melody PaulishakDepartment of Surgery, Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA.
Dino RavnicDepartment of Surgery, Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA.
Cathy R HenryDepartment of Surgery, Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA.
Michael GreenDepartment of Humanities, Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA.
Rena KassDepartment of Surgery, Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA.
Kathryn H SchmitzDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Pennsylvania State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeAbility to return to work (RTW) is an important aspect of breast cancer that is limited for many survivors. With 90% survivorship in the USA, it is imperative that focus shifts toward the improvement of physical arm function to improve survivors' ability to RTW. This narrative review discusses the role of physical arm function and demographic disparities in breast cancer survivor RTW.

methodsLiterature on physical function, arm function, and demographic disparities following breast cancer treatment and their implications for RTW is discussed.

resultsThe ability to RTW is a key component of recovery for breast cancer survivors, but challenges and inequalities persist. Treatment effects can induce and prolong functional disability, affecting survivors' ability to RTW. These effects may be compounded for survivors whose occupation requires physical arm function. The RTW landscape, including the occupations survivors have, the physical function required for job tasks, and availability of workplace accommodations, is also unclear. Additional demographic disparities (e.g., income, live in rural area) exist, but the extent to which these factors influence RTW is not well understood. More work is needed to understand the compounded impact of treatment effects, demographic disparities, and occupational factors on RTW. Multidisciplinary rehabilitation that includes occupational counseling and exercise is a promising approach, but widespread adoption in the US healthcare model presents an ongoing challenge. Areas for further research are highlighted.

conclusionThere is an incomplete understanding of the effects of treatment on physical arm function and the role of demographic disparities on breast cancer survivor RTW.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsCancer SurvivorsArmDemographyFemaleHumansReturn to WorkSurvivorsBreast reconstructionCancer survivorsMastectomyPhysical enduranceReturn to workTreatment outcome

Identifiers

PMID36355217
PMCPMC9648455

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.