Arm function after axillary dissection for breast cancer: A pilot study to provide parameter estimates

Abstract

Sixty-three women participated in a study in Calgary, Alberta to assess the rate of arm recovery and factors affecting it up to one year after axillary node dissection for breast cancer. Outcomes included objective measures of swelling, mobility, and strength, and subjective assessments of pain (at rest and with movement) and stiffness. Approximately 42% of women had residual impairment of at least one type one year after surgery, the most common problems being pain (16%) and reduced grip strength (16%). Except for lymphedema, measurements one year after surgery showed little change from measurements at 6 months, suggesting that the shorter follow-up may be appropriate for assessing the long term effects of axillary dissection. Lymphedema was the only sequela which increased over time. The results provide parameter estimates for designing studies to evaluate the role of physiotherapy after axillary dissection.

Treatment-Related Factors Predisposing to Chronic Pain in Patients with Breast CancerA Multivariate Approach

“…Interestingly, Hladiuk et al (15) reported that the only statistically significant predictors for pain at 12 months after surgery were a greater number of postoperative analgesic injections and pain at one month after surgery. In a recent study Keramopoulus et al (16) showed that upper limb pain occurred more frequently in patients who were over 60 years of age, who underwent modified radical mastectomy and who had 30-40 nodes dissected.…”

A predictive index of axillary nodal involvement in operable breast cancer

“…Axillary lymph node dissection, however, is directly responsible for most of the side-effects related to breast surgery (Hladiuk et al, 1992;Robinson et al, 1992) and it requires general anaesthesia, thus adding treatment morbidity and costs. In addition, with the growing implementation of breast cancer screening programmes, and with the more favourable stage spectrum of newly detected breast cancers, systematic ALND would clearly be an overtreatment for most patients.…”

Quality of Life in Patients with Breast Cancer at Early Postoperative Period: Relationship to Shoulder Pain, Handgrip Strength, Disability, and Emotional Status

“…0=ağrısız ve 10=en şiddetli ağrı olduğu anlatılıp, hastanın ağrısı-na karşılık gelen değeri skala üzerinde işaretlemesi istendi (21). VAS ≥1 ağrı olarak tanımlandı (22).…”

“…Meme kanseri, hastalığın kendi doğasından, radikal cerrahi girişimler ve radyoterapi uygulamalarından kaynaklanan çeşitli fonksiyon kayıplarına yol açabilmek-tedir. Bunlar arasında omuz disfonksiyonu (ağrısı ve eklem hareket kısıtlılığı), üst ekstremite kas gücü kaybı ve lenfödem gibi lokomotor sistem bozuklukları yanı sıra psikolojik ile kozmetik sorunlar sayılabilir ve sonuç olarak bu sorunlar kişilerin yaşam kalitesini (YK) etkilemektedir (7)(8)(9)(10)(11).…”