SynthesisBMC cancer2021
Rehabilitation interventions to support return to work for women with breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC cancer, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 32 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
32 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 49 citations in OpenAlex.
- The Impact of Prostate Cancer Treatment on Work Participation: A Systematic Review.Journal of occupational rehabilitation · 2026Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Non-medical interventions to enhance return to work for people with cancer.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024Pooled it
- Effectiveness of Physical Activity Interventions on Return to Work After a Cancer Diagnosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Journal of occupational rehabilitation · 2023Pooled it
- A multidisciplinary intervention to support return to work of individuals with breast cancer: a prospective feasibility study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Trial
- Work ability following breast cancer - the MyHealth randomized controlled trial.Acta oncologica (Stockholm, Sweden) · 2025Trial
- Beyond surgical risk: Multidimensional predictors of postoperative arm morbidity after breast cancer treatment.Breast (Edinburgh, Scotland) · 2026Article
- The Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer work after cancer global challenges and solutions white paper: key findings and recommendations.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- Return to work and cancer survivorship needs of breast cancer survivors: an observational prospective single-cohort study in Italy.Scientific reports · 2026Observational
- Work Reintegration After Chemotherapy in Patients With Early-Stage Breast Cancer: The RESTART Cross-Sectional Survey.Cureus · 2025Article
- Postcancer rehabilitation: multidisciplinary exercise - programme organisation and feasibility.BMJ supportive & palliative care · 2025Article
- Factors Associated With Employment and Quality of Working Life in Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer.Cancer medicine · 2025Article
- Feasibility and acceptability of a self-management intervention supporting return to work for women with breast cancer.The British journal of occupational therapy · 2025Article
- Advancing breast cancer rehabilitation: a novel tool for assessing physical morbidity risk.The oncologist · 2025Article
- Specification of self-reported late-term impairments 3-7 years after primary breast cancer treatment: a nationwide cross-sectional study among Danish breast cancer survivors.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2025Article
- Utilization outcomes of a cancer rehabilitation (CRNav) program: getting to the quadruple aim in cancer care.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025Article
- Experiences of healthcare professionals returning to work post breast cancer diagnosis in China: A descriptive qualitative study.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Towards Rehabilitation in Patients with Breast Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study.Journal of multidisciplinary healthcare · 2025Article
- Benefits of Early Integrated and Vocational Rehabilitation in Breast Cancer on Work Ability, Sick Leave Duration, and Disability Rates.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundResearch recommends the development and evaluation of interventions to support women with breast cancer in returning to, or managing, work. Despite this, there has historically been a paucity of rehabilitation interventions to support women with breast cancer to maintain or return to their work role. The aim of this systematic review was to examine key characteristics of rehabilitation interventions, and their effectiveness on work outcomes for women with breast cancer, compared to usual care.
methodsA systematic review was conducted of controlled studies of rehabilitation interventions with work outcomes for women with breast cancer. Six databases were systematically searched: EMBASE, Web of Science, MEDLINE (OVID), CINAHL, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). Results are presented either as pooled odds ratio (OR) or pooled effect size (hedges g) between groups, with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Narrative synthesis was conducted on intervention outcomes not suitable for meta-analysis.
resultsFive thousand, five hundred and thirty-five studies were identified. Nine out of 28 abstracts met inclusion criteria. Heterogeneity of interventions and outcomes precluded meta-analysis for most outcomes. Of the interventions included in meta-analysis, no significant differences compared to usual care were found for sick leave (2 studies (12 months); OR 1.11 (95% CI: 0.66 to 1.87), number of sick days taken (2 studies (six months); difference in effect: - 0.08, (95% CI: - 0.48 to 0.38) or working hours (2 studies (12 months); 0.19, (95% CI: - 0.20 to 0.64). Only one study, with a multidisciplinary intervention, showed a significant difference for work outcomes when compared to usual care. Work-specific content featured in three interventions only, none of which provided conclusive evidence for improvement in work outcomes. Enhanced physical and psychological sequalae, and quality of life was observed in some studies.
conclusionThere remains a lack of effective and methodologically rigorous rehabilitation intervention studies for breast cancer survivors. The development and evaluation of effective rehabilitation interventions to support return to work is warranted.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.