Comparison of quality of life, satisfaction with surgery and shoulder-arm morbidity in breast cancer survivors submitted to breast-conserving therapy or mastectomy followed by immediate breast reconstruction.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to compare the prevalence of shoulder-arm morbidity, patient satisfaction with surgery and the quality of life of women submitted to breast-conserving therapy or modified radical mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction .


METHODS
This study was a cross-sectional study of women who underwent breast-conserving therapy (n = 44) or modified radical mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction (n = 26). Quality of life was evaluated with the SF-36 Health Survey Questionnaire.


RESULTS
No differences were found in the prevalence of lymphedema. The movements that were most commonly affected by these procedures were abduction, flexion and external rotation. When the two groups were compared, however, we only found a statistically significant difference for the prevalence of restricted internal rotation, which occurred in 32% of women in the breast-conserving therapy group and 12% of those in the modified radical mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction group (OR: 7.23; p = 0.03 following adjustment for potential confounding factors). No difference in quality of life or satisfaction with surgery was found between the two groups.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that the type of surgery did not affect the occurrence of lymphedema. Breast-conserving therapy, however, increased the risk of shoulder movement limitation. No differences were found between the two surgical techniques with respect to quality of life or satisfaction with surgery.
Freitas-Silva
Renata
R
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brasil.
Conde
Délio Marques
DM
de Freitas-Júnior
Ruffo
R
Martinez
Edson Zangiacomi
EZ
D001132:Arm / Q000503:physiopathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D016462:Mammaplasty / Q000379:methods*; D015411:Mastectomy, Modified Radical / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D012782:Shoulder / Q000503:physiopathology; D012785:Shoulder Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors