Physiotherapeutic Assessment in Oncological Post-Mastectomy Patients

Introduction: Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent forms of cancer among women, and the medical treatment protocols are highly aggressive. In the case of mastectomy, a number of different sequelae are generated, including pain, functional limitation of the shoulder, dehiscence of the wound, decrease in joint range, decrease in muscle strength, lymphedema, and so forth. Such consequences directly impact the functionality and quality of life of the individual. Physiotherapy represents a potential avenue for addressing the sequelae resulting from the surgical procedure. Objective: The objective is to conduct a bibliographic research on the early physiotherapeutic treatment of post-mastectomy cancer patients. Methodology: A search for clinical trials from 2016 to 2023 was conducted in multiple languages, including English, Portuguese, and Spanish, across several databases: PEDro, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane, and Google Scholar. The inclusion and exclusion criteria facilitated an appropriate selection process for clinical trials, in conjunction with the PRISMA method. The selected clinical trials included a total sample of 644 individuals, in which various physiotherapeutic modalities were evaluated for the purpose of combating the various sequelae generated by mastectomy. Conclusions: Physiotherapy offers a range of beneficial therapeutic modalities, which, when applied early in post-mastectomy cancer patients, have a positive impact on these individuals. These include therapeutic exercise, hydrotherapy, and resistance aerobic exercise. Conversely, there are modalities such as manual lymphatic drainage and extracorporeal shock wave therapy that have uncertain benefits, given the lack of consensus on their evidence base.