Dance your pain away: new study tests virtual dance for breast cancer survivors
NCT ID NCT06758102
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jul 17, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study looks at whether a 12-week virtual dance program can improve quality of life and reduce pain, fatigue, and body image issues in breast cancer survivors who have ongoing pain after surgery. Thirty participants who had a lumpectomy or mastectomy and still have moderate to severe pain will take part. They will learn seated and standing choreography from a certified instructor via Zoom.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- dance program
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a fun, accessible way for breast cancer survivors to manage pain and improve well-being without medication.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early study with only 30 participants and no control group, so results may not be generalizable. The benefit may be small or not last beyond the 12 weeks.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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28 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jan 2025
- Expected to finish
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Oct 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * History of Stage 0-III invasive breast cancer * Having undergone lumpectomy or mastectomy * Moderate to severe persistent post-surgical pain, as defined by pain scores ≥3 on a numerical rating scale (NRS) of 0-10 (10 being the most severe pain) at least 3 months after completion of surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation * Pain scores of 3-4 are categorized as moderate pain; scores of 5-10 are categorized as severe pain26 * Age ≥ 18 years * Able to read and understand English (to complete required questionnaires and participate in classes) * Ability to provide informed consent * Ability to perform seated exercises Exclusion Criteria: * Unstable cardiovascular disease in the last 6 months * Psychiatric disorders or conditions that would preclude participation in the study intervention (e.g. untreated major depression or psychosis, untreated substance use disorder, severe personality disorder) * Metastatic breast or other concurrent cancer * Pregnant * Recent history of attending regular dance or similar classes (e.g. yoga or tai chi classes i.e. 20 or more classes in the past 6 months) * Planned surgery anticipated during the intervention period * History of a chronic medical condition that has the potential to significantly impact upper extremity function (e.g. stroke, Parkinson's disease, Multiple Sclerosis) * Currently enrolled in a physical therapy course * Presence of medical conditions or medications that would prohibit participation in an exercise program
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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