Telerehabilitation through internet improve life of women suffering breast cancer

Researchers from the University of Granada (UGR) and from hospitals Virgen de las Nieves and San Cecilio (Granada) have proved that telerehabilitation may help to alleviate the side effects associated with breast cancer and its treatment, including pain, fatigue, strength loss, and deterioration of the quality of life. In their study, they conducted rehabilitation with the help of the internet, using the application Skype as a control platform.

The characteristics of the telerehabilitation system conceived by the scientists, called e-CUIDATE ('cuídate' meaning 'take care'), make this study about telehealth one of the most complete thus far with patients suffering breast cancer, producing excellent results for the exercise program offered via the Internet both for the possible side effects and the final outcome of the treatment.

Noelia Galiano Castillo, belonging to the department of Physical Therapy and main author of the work, explains, "The participants have ameliorated their pain, strength, fatigue and quality of life, which reflects that an eight-week exercise program over the Internet can be successfully conducted without the need for a in-person therapeutic strategy."

Moreover, patients who took this telerehabilitation program maintained the benefits of the exercise program six months after its completion.

This online, therapeutic approach using a website may help breast cancer patients to ameliorate their symptoms and functional levels through the use of information and communication technologies (ICT); in this case, by means of the system e-CUIDATE.