Cervical Motor Control in Long-term Breast Cancer Survivors

November 15, 2025 updated by: Irene Cantarero Villanueva, Universidad de Granada

Effectiveness of a Physical Therapy Program for Improving Cervical Motor Control in Long-term Breast Cancer Survivors

The aim of this study will be to determine the effectiveness of a physical therapy program which is based on cervical motor control exercises in long-term breast cancer survivors in order to improve their motor control and its possible impact on pain, mood state and quality of life.

Study Overview

Status

Withdrawn

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Background: Breast cancer is becoming a common disease; however survival rates have improved throughout the last years. As a result, this also means that breast cancer survivors suffer side effects concerning the disease itself and treatments, as it is the case of certain kinds of pain. It is known that 80% of breast cancer survivors suffer this even 5 years after the completion of treatment and this impairment can be associated with a high tendency towards depression, cardiorespiratory deconditioning and even altered cervical control motor.

Aim: To determine the effectiveness of a physical therapy program based on cervical motor control training in order to improve motor control, mood state and quality of life.

Methods: Fifty-two long-term breast cancer survivors will be allocated to experimental group (n=26) or control group (n=26). The experimental group will receive a nine-week tailored exercise training focused on cervical motor control.

Discussion: There is a lack of knowledge about effective interventions when it comes to deal with altered motor control pattern of cervical area in long-term breast cancer survivors. Therefore, it is necessary to study the impact of this novel approach to improve quality of life in this population.

Study Type

Interventional

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Spain
      • Granada, Spain, 18016
        • University of Granada

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • To be over 18 years old
  • Have passed a period equal o more 5 years since breast cancer diagnosis
  • Have diagnosis of stage I, II or IIIA breast cancer
  • Have signed informed consent
  • Have medical clearance for participation
  • Inability to get level 2 in the craniocervical flexion test

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Have diagnosis of arthritis or fibromyalgia
  • Have cancer recurrence
  • Have been operated through previous surgery of cervical column
  • To be taking any treatment for pain or altered motor control during last 12 months

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control group
Experimental: Cervical motor control group
Behavioral: Cervical motor control
Intervention will consist in a tailored exercise training following a previous published motor control protocol

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Neck Disability Index (NDI)
Time Frame: Participants will be followed over 9 weeks
It is self-administered questionnaire to test neck pain interference in daily activities. It contains 10 items
Participants will be followed over 9 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Craniocervical Flexion Test (CCFT)
Time Frame: Participants will be followed over 9 weeks
It is used to assess deficit of cervical motor pattern
Participants will be followed over 9 weeks
Algometry
Time Frame: Participants will be followed over 9 weeks
Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) will be assessed using an electronic algometer (Somedic AB, Farsta, Sweden)
Participants will be followed over 9 weeks
Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)
Time Frame: Participants will be followed over 9 weeks
It is used to assess subjective pain. It contains scores in the range of 0 to 10 (0 = 'no pain'; 10 = 'worst imaginable pain'). Participants will have to mark the level of pain that they feel in that moment for neck-shoulders areas
Participants will be followed over 9 weeks
Scale for Mood Assessment
Time Frame: Participants will be followed over 9 weeks
It is used to assess 4 moods: anxiety, anger-hostility, sadness-depression, and happiness. It contains 16 items
Participants will be followed over 9 weeks
European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) version 3.0
Time Frame: Participants will be followed over 9 weeks
It is used to asses quality of life. It contains 30 items with both multi-item scales and single-item measures
Participants will be followed over 9 weeks
European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Breast Cancer-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-BR23)
Time Frame: Participants will be followed over 9 weeks
It is a breast cancer module of EORTC QLQ-C30. This module contains 23 items assessing disease symptoms, side effects of treatment, body image, sexual functioning, and future perspective
Participants will be followed over 9 weeks
Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (MLTPAQ)
Time Frame: Participants will be followed over 9 weeks
It is used to calculate energy expenditure for leisure time physical activity
Participants will be followed over 9 weeks
International Fitness Scale (IFIS)
Time Frame: Participants will be followed over 9 weeks
It is used to assess perceived patients' overall fitness, cardio-respiratory fitness, muscular fitness, speed-agility and flexibility
Participants will be followed over 9 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Universidad de Granada

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Irene Cantarero-Villanueva, PhD, Physical Therapy Deparment, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Granada

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

October 1, 2016

Primary Completion (Estimated)

May 1, 2022

Study Completion (Estimated)

May 1, 2022

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 4, 2016

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 4, 2016

First Posted (Estimated)

July 7, 2016

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

November 18, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 15, 2025

Last Verified

November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • UGR0116

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Breast Neoplasms

Clinical Trials on Cervical motor control

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Japan

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe