• Ann. Surg. Oncol. · Nov 2004

    Comparative Study Clinical Trial

    Treatment-related upper limb morbidity 1 year after sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection for stage I or II breast cancer.

    • J S Rietman, P U Dijkstra, J H B Geertzen, P Baas, J de Vries, W V Dolsma, J W Groothoff, W H Eisma, and H J Hoekstra.
    • Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Martini Hospital Groningen, PO Box 30033, NL-9700 RM Groningen, The Netherlands. j.s.rietman@planet.nl
    • Ann. Surg. Oncol. 2004 Nov 1; 11 (11): 1018-24.

    BackgroundIn a prospective study, upper limb morbidity and perceived disability/activities of daily life (ADLs) were assessed before and 1 year after sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) or axillary lymph node dissection (ALND).MethodsA total of 204 patients with stage I/II breast cancer (mean age, 55.6 years; SD, 11.6 years) entered the study, and 189 patients (93%) could be evaluated after 1 year. Fifty-eight patients (31%) underwent only SLNB, and 131 (69%) underwent ALND. Assessments performed before surgery (t(0)) and 1 year after surgery (t(1)), included pain, shoulder range of motion, muscle strength, upper arm/forearm circumference, and perceived shoulder disability/ADL.ResultsConsiderable treatment-related upper limb morbidity was observed. Significant (P < .05) changes between t(0) and t(1) were found in all assessments except strength of elbow flexors. Patients in the ALND group showed significantly more changes in the range of motion in forward flexion, abduction, and abduction/external rotation; grip strength and strength of shoulder abductors; circumference of upper arm and forearm; and perceived shoulder disability in ADLs compared with the SLNB group. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that ALND could predict a decrease of range of motion in forward flexion, abduction, strength of shoulder abductors, grip strength, and shoulder-related ADLs and an increase in the circumference of the upper arm. Radiation of the axilla (19 patients) predicts an additional decrease in shoulder range of motion.ConclusionsOne year after treatment of breast cancer, there is significantly less upper limb morbidity after SLNB compared with ALND. ALND is a predictor for upper limb morbidity.

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