title: Arm morbidity following treatment of breast cancer with total axillary dissection: a multivariated approach.
abstract: In order to clarify the factors that mainly influence arm morbidity following treatment of breast cancer with the full axillary dissection protocol, we evaluated, in a model of multiple regression analysis, parameters such as the type of breast surgery, adjuvant radiotherapy, time of irradiation, age, number of dissected nodes and axillary nodal status. A total of 104 women were studied. Late arm edema was observed in 17% of the patients and was more frequent when (1) irradiation was given immediately after the operation than if it was given 6 months later (p = 0.009) and (2) the number of removed nodes exceeded 40 (p = 0.037). Upper limb pain was reported by 16% of the patients and was reported more frequently from patients over 60 years of age (p = 0.036), as well as from patients who underwent modified radical mastectomy (p = 0.044) and those in whom 30-40 nodes were dissected (p = 0.025). Shoulder joint mobility was impaired in 17% of the patients, and it was not affected by any of the examined factors. It seems that conservative breast surgery or adjuvant breast radiotherapy 6 months after the operation might reduce independently the likelihood of arm morbidity by 25%.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Athens, Alexandra Maternity Hospital, Greece.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Keramopoulos
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tsionou
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Minaretzis
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Michalas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Aravantinos
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D001132:Arm; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004487:Edema / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D015411:Mastectomy, Modified Radical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D009068:Movement; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D011859:Radiography; D011878:Radiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012785:Shoulder Joint