Improving the health literacy of women with breast cancer using an old–new approach: A feasibility study

Abstract Purpose The study was designed to evaluate the feasibility of a future full-scale randomized clinical trial (RCT) of the Alice Program, a body awareness therapy, based on the integrability of this approach into oncological rehabilitation, as well as the impact of the Alice Program on managing the adverse consequences of cancer and cancer therapy and improving the health literacy of breast cancer survivors. Materials/methods We conducted a single-arm, before-and-after feasibility study with pre- and post-treatment assessment of shoulder and trunk mobility, balance, and health-related quality of life, as well as a 5-year follow-up to assess patient experiences with the Alice Program. Feasibility outcomes included recruitment scope, adherence to the Alice Program, adverse events, and program structure. Twenty-nine women with breast cancer aged between 32 and 65 were included in the study. The Alice Program was conducted at the Rehabilitation Department of Uzsoki Hospital in Budapest. Results Ineffective patient recruitment is the biggest obstacle to conducting a future RCT. Patients' experiences demonstrated the acceptability of the Alice Program, and the assessed variables indicated the effectiveness of the Alice Program in a small sample of breast cancer survivors. Conclusions Although the findings suggest that it is feasible to conduct a future full-scale RCT of the Alice Program for breast cancer survivors, some changes are needed – for example to the recruitment strategy, selection criteria, and program structure – to optimise the time efficiency ratio.