Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of intensive rehabilitation to support recovery of neurological function after brain tumor surgery and assess long-term satisfaction.
Methods This retrospective study included patients with neurological impairment after brain tumor surgery who underwent intensive rehabilitation therapy between December 2013 and May 2017. To assess effectiveness of rehabilitation, functional outcomes (motor, cognition, and activities of daily living [ADL]) were compared between brain tumor group and a control group enrolling stroke patients who received equivalent rehabilitation during the study period. Long-term satisfaction with rehabilitation was evaluated by surveying family caregivers.
Results This study included 21 patients with benign brain tumor, 14 with malignant brain tumor, and 108 with stroke. Significant and similar improvement in motor, cognition, and ADL function were noted in both the brain tumor group and the stroke group. Malignancy status did not influence the extent of functional improvement. According to medical records and surveys, 9 (69.2%) patients with malignant tumor and 2 (11.8%) with benign tumor had expired by the time of the survey. Most family caregivers confirmed that rehabilitation was effective for functional improvement (>60%), expressing overall satisfaction and stating they would recommend such therapy to patients with similar conditions (approximately 70%).
Conclusion Intensive rehabilitation may help promote functional improvement following brain tumor surgery regardless of malignancy compared with stroke patients. Family caregivers expressed overall satisfaction with rehabilitation at long-term follow-up. These findings support the provision of intensive rehabilitation therapy for neurologic function recovery following brain tumor surgery.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Physical function and rehabilitation in patients with brain tumours: narrative review Masahiko Kusaba, Takuro Sakurai, Takuya Fukushima BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care.2026; 16(1): 40. CrossRef
Symptom network and latent profile analysis in patients after glioma surgery: a cross-sectional study Xinyue Luo, Huijuan Song, Ping Wang, Huijie Chen, Ying Ren, Xiaoyan Wang Supportive Care in Cancer.2026;[Epub] CrossRef
Motor Recovery in Glioma Patients After Craniotomy: A Case Study of Continuous Rehabilitation Assessed With Diffusion Tensor Imaging Yoichiro Horikawa, Takuma Yuri, Chinatsu Umaba, Rie Yamawaki, Manabu Nankaku, Ryosuke Ikeguchi, Yoshiki Arakawa Cureus.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Improved health-related quality of life after rehabilitation in patients with brain tumors is not affected by tumor type Takahiro WATANABE, Shinichi NOTO, Manabu NATSUMEDA, Shinji KIMURA, Fumie IKARASHI, Satoshi TABATA, Mayuko TAKANO, Yoshihiro TSUKAMOTO, Makoto OISHI European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
RETRACTED: Physical activity and glioblastoma: a paradigm shift in neuro-oncology therapy Lin Xie, Feng Wang Frontiers in Oncology.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Polyphenol‐Based Nutritional Strategies Combined With Exercise for Brain Function and Glioma Control: Focus on Epigenetic Modifications, Cognitive Function, Learning and Memory Processes Guobiao Yang, Wanying Yang, Farzam Kiarasi Food Science & Nutrition.2025;[Epub] CrossRef
Effect of gait distance during robot training on walking independence after acute brain injury Gakuto Kitamura, Manabu Nankaku, Takayuki Kikuchi, Hidehisa Nishi, Hiroki Tanaka, Toru Nishikawa, Honami Yonezawa, Taishi Kajimoto, Takumi Kawano, Ayumi Ohtagaki, Eriko Mashimoto, Susumu Miyamoto, Ryosuke Ikeguchi, Shuichi Matsuda Assistive Technology.2024; 36(6): 446. CrossRef
Neurorehabilitation for Adults with Brain and Spine Tumors Hanna Hunter, Evelyn Qin, Allison Wallingford, April Hyon, Amar Patel Seminars in Neurology.2024; 44(01): 064. CrossRef
Rehabilitation after brain tumor resection: A national study of postacute care service use through insurance claims data Mitra McLarney, Nicole Fergestrom, Jasmine Zheng, Liliana E. Pezzin PM&R.2024; 16(5): 441. CrossRef
REhabilitation Approaches in CHildren with cerebellar mutism syndrome (REACH): An international cross-disciplinary survey study Sharyl Samargia-Grivette, Helen Hartley, Karin Walsh, Jurgen Lemiere, Allison D. Payne, Emma Litke, Ashley Knight Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine.2024; 17(2): 185. CrossRef
Impact of Cognitive Rehabilitation on Cognitive and Functional Outcomes in Adult Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review Zev M. Nakamura, Nadeen T. Ali, Adele Crouch, Haryana Dhillon, Angela Federico, Priscilla Gates, Lisa Grech, Shelli R. Kesler, Leila Ledbetter, Elisa Mantovani, Samantha Mayo, Ding Quan Ng, Lorna Pembroke, Kerryn E. Pike, Stefano Tamburin, Chia Jie Tan, Y Seminars in Oncology Nursing.2024; 40(5): 151696. CrossRef
Exercise intervention may play a potential therapeutic role in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (Review) Salaheddin Sharif, Nicholas Harman, David Hydock, Thomas Olson World Academy of Sciences Journal.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Improvements in activities of daily living among patients with brain tumors are associated with age, baseline physical function, duration of rehabilitation, and tumor recurrence but not type Takahiro Watanabe, Shinichi Noto, Manabu Natsumeda, Shinji Kimura, Fumie Ikarashi, Satoshi Tabata, Mayuko Takano, Yoshihiro Tsukamoto, Makoto Oishi International Journal of Rehabilitation Research.2024; 47(4): 231. CrossRef
Rehabilitation utilization in malignant primary brain tumors compared to stroke and traumatic brain injury: Analysis using a large claim database Samantha Giovanazzi, Beatrice Ugiliweneza, Elsa Alvarez, Maxwell Boakye, Darryl Kaelin, Megan B Nelson Neuro-Oncology Practice.2024; 11(6): 803. CrossRef
Post-acute Care Needs and Benefits of Inpatient Rehabilitation Care for the Oncology Patient Julia M. Reilly, Lisa Marie Ruppert Current Oncology Reports.2023; 25(3): 155. CrossRef
A systematic review of cognitive interventions for adult patients with brain tumours Matthew A. Kirkman, Justyna O. Ekert, Benjamin H. M. Hunn, Michael S. C. Thomas, Andrew K. Tolmie Cancer Medicine.2023; 12(10): 11191. CrossRef
Functional Outcomes of Patients with Primary Brain Tumors Undergoing Inpatient Rehabilitation at a Tertiary Care Rehabilitation Facility in Saudi Arabia Sami Ullah, Ahmad Zaheer Qureshi, Farooq Azam Rathore, Waqas Sami, Imad Saeed Moukais, Fatimah Saif Alibrahim, Ibrahim Ali Asiri, Ayman Alsuhaibani International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2023; 20(6): 4679. CrossRef
Functional State and Rehabilitation of Patients after Primary Brain Tumor Surgery for Malignant and Nonmalignant Tumors: A Prospective Observational Study Stanisław Krajewski, Jacek Furtak, Monika Zawadka-Kunikowska, Michał Kachelski, Jakub Soboń, Marek Harat Current Oncology.2023; 30(5): 5182. CrossRef
Rehabilitation interventions for glioma patients: a mini-review Stefania Spina, Salvatore Facciorusso, Nicoletta Cinone, Raffaello Pellegrino, Pietro Fiore, Andrea Santamato Frontiers in Surgery.2023;[Epub] CrossRef
Palliative Care and Care Partner Support in Neuro-oncology Akanksha Sharma Continuum.2023; 29(6): 1872. CrossRef
Recovery in glioblastoma multiforme during inpatient rehabilitation is equivalent in first versus repeat resection: A 10‐year retrospective analysis Nasim Chowdhury, Charles Scott, Michael W. O'Dell PM&R.2022; 14(1): 40. CrossRef
Decreased income, unemployment, and disability after craniotomy for brain tumor removal: a South Korean nationwide cohort study Tak Kyu Oh, In-Ae Song, Ji-Eyon Kwon, Solyi Lee, Hey-Ran Choi, Young-Tae Jeon Supportive Care in Cancer.2022; 30(2): 1663. CrossRef
Association of Neurological Impairment on the Relative Benefit of Maximal Extent of Resection in Chemoradiation-Treated Newly Diagnosed Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Wild-Type Glioblastoma Alexander A. Aabedi, Jacob S. Young, Yalan Zhang, Simon Ammanuel, Ramin A. Morshed, Cecilia Dalle Ore, Desmond Brown, Joanna J. Phillips, Nancy Ann Oberheim Bush, Jennie W. Taylor, Nicholas Butowski, Jennifer Clarke, Susan M. Chang, Manish Aghi, Annette M Neurosurgery.2022; 90(1): 124. CrossRef
Supportive care of patients diagnosed with high grade glioma and their carers in Australia Georgia K. B. Halkett, Melissa N. Berg, Davina Daudu, Haryana M. Dhillon, Eng-Siew Koh, Tamara Ownsworth, Elizabeth Lobb, Jane Phillips, Danette Langbecker, Meera Agar, Elizabeth Hovey, Rachael Moorin, Anna K. Nowak Journal of Neuro-Oncology.2022; 157(3): 475. CrossRef
Rehabilitation of Adult Patients with Primary Brain Tumors Jaclýn Barcikowski Current Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Reports.2022; 10(2): 106. CrossRef
Long-Term Outcomes of Patients with Primary Brain Tumors after Acute Rehabilitation: A Retrospective Analyses of Factors Matthew Rong Jie Tay, Justin Desheng Seah, Karen Sui Geok Chua Life.2022; 12(8): 1208. CrossRef
Rehabilitation Outcomes for Patients with Motor Deficits after Initial and Repeat Brain Tumor Surgery Stanisław Krajewski, Jacek Furtak, Monika Zawadka-Kunikowska, Michał Kachelski, Marcin Birski, Marek Harat International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.2022; 19(17): 10871. CrossRef
Predictors of functional outcomes in adults with brain tumor undergoing rehabilitation treatment: a systematic review Anna PIECZYŃSKA, Agnieszka PILARSKA, Katarzyna HOJAN European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine.2022;[Epub] CrossRef
Commentary: Postacute Cognitive Rehabilitation for Adult Brain Tumor Patients Viktoria Sefcikova, Gerry Christofi, George Samandouras Neurosurgery.2021; 89(6): E295. CrossRef
Rehabilitation Treatment Involving Language Evaluation and Training Considering Poor Japanese Proficiency of Hongkongese Patient with Brain Tumor：A Case Report Kana Yasunami, Nao Hashida, Yudai Fujimoto, Hironari Tamiya, Yoshiko Okita The Japanese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine.2021; 58(8): 946. CrossRef
Rehabilitation of Adult Patients with Primary Brain Tumors: A Narrative Review Parth Thakkar, Brian Greenwald, Palak Patel Brain Sciences.2020; 10(8): 492. CrossRef
First
Prev
