Effects of psychosocial rehabilitation in patients with breast cancer in pre-operative period

Objective: To compare physical, clinical and psychosocial outcomes in patients having undergone a clinical program of prehabilitation planned for breast cancer surgery versus those having undergone conventional surgical treatment only. Study Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Fauji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi from January to June 2024 Patients and Methods: The patients were randomized into Group P (n=30) to receive pre-habilitation for four weeks prior to surgery and Group S (n=30) to receive conventional surgical resection without the pre-habilitation program. Prehabilitation parameters were assessed for pain, disability, anxiety, depression, physical and mental well-being using standard questionnaires. Primary variables studied were median scores for SF-12, HADS and SPADI scoring systems assessed between both groups before and 4 weeks after surgery. Results: Median values for anxiety component of HADS scoring showed values of 3.00 (1.00) in Group P versus 8.00 (1.00) for Group S (p<0.001). Median values for depression component of the HADS scoring were 3.00 (1.00) versus 9.00 (1.00) between both groups (p<0.001). Median pain scores on the SPADI were 20.00 (6.00) versus 20.50 (8.00) between Group P and Group S (p=0.982). Median vales for the disability component showed values of 22.00 (4.00) in Group P versus 22.00 (3.00) for Group S (p=0.514). Conclusion: We conclude that anxiety and depression levels were considerably improved with no clinical change in other parameters in the pre-habilitation program.