Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy and Breast Cancer

The purpose of this study was to compare shoulder strength between women with breast cancer and healthy, matched controls. Comparison with healthy subjects specifies whether the upper disorders due to cancer and subsequent treatment or due to the natural process of aging.Method: Thirty-three postmenopausal women (51±6.46 years old) with breast cancer, on average, five years ago, the modified radical mastectomy surgery with axillary node dissection was completed, received chemotherapy and radiation therapy and thirty healthy postmenopausal women (53.26±5.05 years old) were selected. Shoulder strength was measured using a hand held dynamometer. Data were analyzed by MANOVA (P≤ 0/05). Results: The findings indicate significant differences between groups for 6 of the shoulder girdle strength measure (shoulder flexion, internal rotation, external rotation, horizontal adduction, scapular abduction and upward rotation, scapular depression and adduction) and respectively %74/1, %65/3, %75/5, % 63/9, %61/3, %74/8 strength reduction in patients compared to healthy controls. Discussion: The results indicate the importance of evaluating the shoulder girdle strength in women with breast cancer. Since, based on research findings, years after treatment, decreased shoulder girdle strength have been found in this patient, during the treatment and designing of training programs andrehabilitation for women with breast cancer, health care professionals need to be focused on special shoulder girdle strength factors.

Keywords:

Breast Neoplasms , Axillary Node Dissection , Menopause , Shoulder Girdle Function