Correlations between health indicators in women who survived breast cancer

Abstract

The increase in breast cancer survivors (BCS) has established unprecedented demands on health systems worldwide. In this context, new knowledge is needed to subsidize strategies to handle this population. The objective of this study was to combine the correlations between anthropometric, hematological, biochemical, biophysicochemical, muscle strength, and age variables in BCS. Twenty-two volunteers (51.7 ± 9.2 years old) with a history of mastectomy and lymphadenectomy participated in the study. Among the results, the correlations of the body mass index with lipid profile, strength, and body composition draw special attention. The associations of lipid profile with erythrocyte membrane stability, body composition, and leukocyte count, the associations of the red cell distribution width (RDW) with body mass index, lipid profile, and strength, and the positive correlation between age and leukocyte count also deserve highlights. Such findings allow concluding that investigations that deal singly with health indicators represent a severe limitation in the study of the public in question, and it is necessary to avoid them. The complex network of interactions observed between the various parameters studied reinforces the importance of a global biological analysis of attractive cost-benefit and great practical potential. Teams with medical, nutrition, physical therapy, and physical education professionals, among other areas, can use this knowledge to improve BCS's interdisciplinary approaches in short, medium, and long-term management.