Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37199900›Full record

SynthesisJournal of cancer survivorship : research and practice2024

Evaluating the effect of upper-body morbidity on quality of life following primary breast cancer treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Eliza R Macdonald, Nadia M L Amorim, Amanda D Hagstrom, Katarina Markovic, David Simar, Rachel E Ward, Briana K Clifford

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed, 2 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

12 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. What are the effects of pilates and dance on upper limb functionality in women post-breast cancer surgery? a randomized three-arm clinical trial.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Trial
  4. The effects of early rehabilitation on physical and psychosocial functions after breast cancer surgery.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Trial
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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

7 authors.

Eliza R MacdonaldSchool of Health Sciences, Department of Exercise Physiology, UNSW, Sydney, Sydney, Australia. e.macdonald@unsw.edu.au.ORCID 0000-0001-5372-8378
Nadia M L AmorimCentre for Inflammation, Faculty of Science, School of Life Sciences, Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-3619-7410
Amanda D HagstromSchool of Health Sciences, Department of Exercise Physiology, UNSW, Sydney, Sydney, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-8036-9216
Katarina MarkovicSchool of Health Sciences, Department of Exercise Physiology, UNSW, Sydney, Sydney, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-9609-0968
David SimarSchool of Health Sciences, Department of Exercise Physiology, UNSW, Sydney, Sydney, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-3862-1932
Rachel E WardSchool of Health Sciences, Department of Exercise Physiology, UNSW, Sydney, Sydney, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-5643-5650
Briana K CliffordSchool of Health Sciences, Department of Exercise Physiology, UNSW, Sydney, Sydney, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-4392-795X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeImprovements in breast cancer management continue to increase survival and life expectancy after treatment. Yet the adverse effects of treatment may persist long term, threatening physical, psychological, and social wellbeing, leading to impaired quality of life (QOL). Upper-body morbidity (UBM) such as pain, lymphoedema, restricted shoulder range of motion (ROM), and impaired function are widely reported after breast cancer treatment, but evidence demonstrating its impact on QOL is inconsistent. Therefore, the aim of the study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the effect of UBM on QOL following primary breast cancer treatment.

methodsThe study was prospectively registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020203445). CINAHL, Embase, Emcare, PsycInfo, PubMed/Medline, and SPORTDiscus databases were searched for studies reporting QOL in individuals with and without UBM following primary breast cancer treatment. Primary analysis determined the standardised mean difference (SMD) in physical, psychological, and social wellbeing scores between UBM + /UBM - groups. Secondary analyses identified differences in QOL scores between groups, according to questionnaire.

resultsFifty-eight studies were included, with 39 conducive to meta-analysis. Types of UBM included pain, lymphoedema, restricted shoulder ROM, impaired upper-body function, and upper-body symptoms. UBM + groups reported poorer physical (SMD =  - 0.99; 95%CI =  - 1.26, - 0.71; p < 0.00001), psychological (SMD =  - 0.43; 95%CI =  - 0.60, - 0.27; p < 0.00001), and social wellbeing (SMD =  - 0.62; 95%CI =  - 0.83, - 0.40; p < 0.00001) than UBM - groups. Secondary analyses according to questionnaire showed that UBM + groups rated their QOL poorer or at equal to, UBM - groups across all domains.

conclusionsFindings demonstrate the significant, negative impact of UBM on QOL, pervading physical, psychological, and social domains. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Efforts to assess and minimise the multidimensional impact of UBM are warranted to mitigate impaired QOL after breast cancer.

Indexed as

Breast NeoplasmsQuality of LifeCancer SurvivorsFemaleHumansLymphedemaMorbidityRange of Motion, ArticularBreast cancerLymphoedemaPainQuality of lifeRange of motionUpper-body morbidity

Identifiers

PMID37199900
PMCPMC11424680

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

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.