The Physical Functional Status Among Women With Breast Cancer Receiving Intravenous- Chemotherapy

Background: Functional status typically refers to the ability to physically perform activities such as self-care, being mobile, and independence at home or community. Chemotherapy is a treatment using anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs and is considered one of the most important treatments for breast cancer. Aim: is to assess the physical functional status among women with breast cancer receiving intravenous chemotherapy. Subject and Methods: Design: a descriptive research design was utilized in the current study. Setting: study was conducted in Clinical Oncology Department at Kasr El Eini Hospital. Sample: A convenient consecutive sample consisting of 100 women with a confirmed diagnosis of breast cancer for first time and receives chemotherapy intravenously. Tools of data collection: a- Structured interview questionnaire b- Functional status Assessment tool. Results: (63%) of study sample were independent, (30%) partly dependent and (7%) totally dependent. Conclusion: Patients who received chemotherapy showed functional problems. Recommendations: Replication of the study on a larger probability sample selected from different geographical areas in Egypt is recommended to obtain more generalizable data. Functional status assessment should become an integrated part of the total management of breast cancer patient.