NCT07164352

Effect of Breathing Exercises on Pain, Dyspnea, and Function in Terminal-Stage Cancer Patients

Effect of Breathing Exercises on Pain, Dyspnea, and Functionality in Terminal-Stage Cancer Patients Receiving Palliative Care - Master's Thesis, İstanbul Atlas University, Graduate School, Dept. of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 58 (actual)
• Sponsor: Atlas University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study aims to evaluate the effects of supervised breathing exercises on pain, dyspnea, and functionality in terminal-stage cancer patients receiving palliative care. Participants in the intervention group receive diaphragmatic and pursed-lip breathing exercises under the guidance of a physiotherapist, while the control group receives only an educational brochure. The study compares pre- and post-intervention outcomes between both groups.

Detailed description

This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the effects of diaphragmatic and pursed-lip breathing exercises on pain, dyspnea, and functional status in terminal-stage cancer patients receiving palliative care. Participants are divided into two groups: the intervention group receives supervised breathing exercises by a physiotherapist, while the control group is given an informational brochure without any physical guidance. The primary objective is to determine whether supervised breathing exercises provide significant improvements in symptom control and functionality compared to usual care. Assessments are made before and after the intervention using validated tools including the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS-r), the Cancer Dyspnea Scale (CDS), and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain. The study aims to contribute to the clinical evidence supporting non-pharmacological interventions in palliative care and to offer practical approaches for improving quality of life in terminally ill cancer patients.

Conditions

• Palliative Patients
• Terminal Malignant Tumors
• Breathing Techniques

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Breathing Exercises	Diaphragmatic and pursed-lip breathing exercises supervised by a physiotherapist.
BEHAVIORAL	Informational Brochure	A brochure providing education about breathing exercises for cancer patients.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-08-04
• Primary completion: 2025-05-15
• Completion: 2025-05-15
• First posted: 2025-09-10
• Last updated: 2025-09-10

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Turkey (Türkiye)