Effects of Current Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Approaches on Pelvic Floor Dysfunctions Related to Gynecological Cancer

Abstract

Objective: Gynecologic cancers are types of cancer originating from malignant tumors in the female reproductive organs. Surgical treatment, pelvic radiotherapy, and/or chemotherapy are commonly used multimodal approaches in the treatment of gynecologic cancer. These treatment approaches can cause anatomical, physiological, neuromuscular, and vascular damage to pelvic structures. Identifying cost-effective, easily applicable treatment approaches with minimal side effects for functional impairments and pelvic floor dysfunctions in these structures is of great importance. In this context, the aim of this review is to examine the effects of current physiotherapy and rehabilitation approaches on pelvic floor dysfunctions associated with gynecological cancers. A literature review was conducted using various databases. In the study, articles were searched in PubMed/MEDLINE, EBSCO, Google Scholar, and DergiPark databases using the keywords “gynecological cancer,” “pelvic floor,” “pelvic floor dysfunction,” “pelvic floor exercises,” “stabilization exercises,” “breathing exercises,” “aerobic exercises,” “manual therapy,” and “electrotherapy.” A total of 11 articles were analyzed. According to the type of exercise training, the most preferred in the studies were pelvic floor exercises and stabilization exercises. Although electrotherapy and manual techniques were also preferred in the studies, the number of studies was limited. As a result, future studies are needed to investigate the effects of various physiotherapy and rehabilitation approaches used in large samples and on different pelvic floor dysfunctions hat may be caused by gynecological cancer.

Keywords

• Exercise
• physiotherapy and rehabilitation
• cancer
• pelvic floor disorders
• urinary incontinence

Jinekolojik Kanserle İlişkili Pelvik Taban Disfonksiyonlarında Güncel Fizyoterapi ve Rehabilitasyon Yaklaşımlarının Etkileri

Abstract

Jinekolojik kanserler, kadın üreme organlarında ortaya çıkan malign tümörlerden kaynaklanan kanser tipleridir. Tedavisinde sıklıkla cerrahi tedavi, pelvik radyoterapi ve/veya kemoterapiyi içeren multimodal yaklaşımlar kullanılmaktadır. Bu tedavi yaklaşımları pelvik yapılarda anatomik, fizyolojik, nöromüsküler ve vasküler hasara neden olabilmektedir. Bu yapılarda meydana gelen fonksiyonel bozukluklar ve pelvik taban disfonksiyonları üzerinde ucuz, kolay ve yan etkileri az olan tedavi yaklaşımlarının belirlenmesi oldukça önemlidir. Bu kapsamda bu derlemede jinekolojik kanserle ilişkili pelvik taban disfonksiyonlarında güncel fizyoterapi ve rehabilitasyon yaklaşımlarının etkilerini incelemek amaçlandı. Çeşitli veri tabanlarında literatür taraması yapıldı. Çalışmada “jinekolojik kanser” ile, “pelvik taban”, “pelvik taban disfonksiyonu”, “pelvik taban egzersizleri”, “stabilizasyon egzersizleri”, “solunum egzersizleri”, “aerobik egzersizler”, “manuel tedavi”, “elektroterapi” anahtar kelimeleri kullanılarak Pubmed/MEDLINE, EBSCO, Google Scholar ve DergiPark veri tabanlarında makaleler taranmıştır. Toplam 11 makale analiz edilmiştir. Çalışmalarda egzersiz eğitimi türüne göre en çok tercih edilen pelvik taban kas eğitimi ve stabilizasyon egzersizleriydi. Çalışmalarda elektroterapi ve manuel teknikler de tercih edilmesine rağmen çalışma sayıları kısıtlıydı. Sonuç olarak büyük örneklemlerde ve jinekolojik kansere bağlı görülebilecek farklı pelvik taban disfonksiyonlarında kullanılan çeşitli fizyoterapi ve rehabilitasyon yaklaşımlarının etkilerinin araştırılacağı ileriki çalışmalara ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır.

Keywords

• Egzersiz
• fizyoterapi ve rehabilitasyon
• kanser
• pelvik taban bozuklukları
• üriner inkontinans

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