Abstract
Background
Breast cancer surgery is associated with upper-body morbidities that may last several
years postsurgery. Research has not determined if the type of surgery leads to differential
effects on shoulder function, activity levels, and QoL during the early rehabilitation
period. The main objective of this study is to examine changes in shoulder function,
health, and fitness outcomes from the day before to surgery to 6 months postsurgery.
Patients and Methods
We recruited breast cancer patients (N = 70) scheduled to receive breast cancer surgery
at Severance Hospital in Seoul to participate in this prospective study. Shoulder
range of motion (ROM) and upper body strength, the disabilities of Arm, Shoulder,
and Hand (quick-DASH), body composition, physical activity levels, and QoL were measured
at baseline (presurgery) and then weekly for 4 weeks, and at 3 months and 6 months
postsurgery.
Results
During 6 months after surgery, shoulder ROM was reduced only affected arm while shoulder
strength was significantly declined in both affected and unaffected arms. Within 4
weeks postsurgery, patients who underwent total mastectomy were significantly less
recovered than patients with partial mastectomy in ROM of flexion (P < .05) and abduction (P < .05). However, shoulder strength of both arms observed no interaction between surgical
type and time. We observed significant changes in body composition, quick-DASH score,
physical activity levels, and QoL from presurgery to 6-months postsurgery.
Conclusions
Shoulder function, activity levels, and QoL improved significantly from surgery to
6-months postsurgery. Surgery type influenced changes in shoulder ROM.
Keywords
Abbreviations:
ROM (range of motion), ALND (axillary lymph node dissection), SLNB (sentinel lymph node biopsy), QoL (quality of life)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 06, 2023
Accepted:
March 2,
2023
Received in revised form:
February 28,
2023
Received:
May 19,
2022
Publication stage
In Press Journal Pre-ProofIdentification
Copyright
© 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
