Abstract
This study investigated short-term changes in body composition, handgrip strength, and presence of lymphedema in women who underwent breast cancer surgery. Ninety-five women participated in a cross-sectional study, divided into two groups: Control (n=46), with healthy women, and Experimental (n=49), with women six months after breast cancer surgery. The Experimental Group was subdivided into right total mastectomy (RTM, n=15), left total mastectomy (LTM, n=11), right quadrant (RQ, n=13), and left quadrant (LQ, n=10). It was also redistributed among women with presence (n=10) or absence (n=39) of lymphedema. Presence of lymphedema, handgrip strength, and body composition were assessed. Trunk lean mass and handgrip strength were decreased in the Experimental Group. Total lean mass was increased in the LTM compared to RTM or LQ. Left handgrip strength in LTM was decreased compared to RTM and RQ and in LQ compared to RTM and RQ. Finally, total lean mass, trunk fat mass, trunk lean mass, right and left arm lean mass were increased in women with lymphedema. Breast cancer survivors have changes in their body composition and in handgrip strength six months after surgery; however, the interaction between the type of surgery and its impact is unclear. Furthermore, women who developed lymphedema in this period showed more significant changes in the body composition, but they were not enough to cause impairment in handgrip strength.
Highlights
Despite advances in the surgical methods used for breast cancer treatment, the postsurgery period is crucial due to the possibility of developing complications, such as lymphedema, reduction in muscle function, decrease in upper limb muscle, and handgrip strength[1,2].With improved outcomes and more women surviving breast cancer, long-term morbidities of treatment, including lymphedema, gain importance
Loss of lean mass and simultaneous gains in fat mass are amongst the most common side effects following treatment for breast cancer[9], and it is becoming an important marker for women who have been diagnosed[10, 50] to 96% of those submitted to a mastectomy show an increase in fat mass after surgery[11]
230,000 women were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 201116
Summary
Despite advances in the surgical methods used for breast cancer treatment, the postsurgery period is crucial due to the possibility of developing complications, such as lymphedema, reduction in muscle function, decrease in upper limb muscle, and handgrip strength[1,2]. With improved outcomes and more women surviving breast cancer, long-term morbidities of treatment, including lymphedema, gain importance. In addition to the existence of lymphedema, symptoms such as reduced shoulder-neck mobility[4], shoulder-neck pain[5], fatigue[6], decrease upper limb strength[7] have been demonstrated in survivors. These symptoms promote functional limitations like decreased levels of physical activity and weight gain[8]. Loss of lean mass and simultaneous gains in fat mass are amongst the most common side effects following treatment for breast cancer[9], and it is becoming an important marker for women who have been diagnosed[10, 50] to 96% of those submitted to a mastectomy show an increase in fat mass after surgery[11]
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