Assessment of local tissue water in the arms and trunk of breast cancer survivors with and without upper extremity lymphoedema.

Given the paucity of information on local tissue water (LTW) in the upper extremity and trunk of women after breast cancer surgery, the purpose of this study was to compare tissue dielectric constant (TDC) values between the affected and unaffected sides of breast cancer survivors with and without upper extremity lymphoedema (LE). Differences in LTW were assessed using the TDC method for three sites in the upper limbs, three sites in the lateral thorax and two sites on the back. Additional measures included demographic and clinical characteristics, arm circumference and bioimpedance analysis.

Menopausal-Related Symptoms in Women One Year After Breast Cancer Surgery.

Context: Approximately 60% to 100% of women with breast cancer experience at least one menopausal-related symptom. Little is known about associations between menopausal status and symptoms in women 12 months after breast cancer surgery.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate for differences in occurrence, severity, and distress of symptoms between pre- and postmenopausal women 12 months after breast cancer surgery.

Predictors of Altered Upper Extremity Function During the First Year After Breast Cancer Treatment.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate trajectories of and predictors for changes in upper extremity (UE) function in women (n = 396) during the first year after breast cancer treatment.

Design: Prospective, longitudinal assessments of shoulder range of motion (ROM), grip strength, and perceived interference of function were performed before and for 1 year after surgery. Demographic, clinical, and treatment characteristics were evaluated as predictors of postoperative function.

Polymorphisms in Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Are Associated With Higher Anxiety Levels in Women After Breast Cancer Surgery.

Introduction: Before and after breast cancer surgery, women have reported varying anxiety levels. Recent evidence has suggested that anxiety has a genetic basis and is associated with inflammation. The purposes of the present study were to identify the subgroups of women with distinct anxiety trajectories; to evaluate for differences in the phenotypic characteristics between these subgroups; and to evaluate for associations between polymorphisms in cytokine genes and subgroup membership.

Preoperative Breast Pain Predicts Persistent Breast Pain and Disability After Breast Cancer Surgery.

Context: Approximately 30% of the women report pain in the affected breast before breast cancer surgery.

Objectives: The purpose of this secondary analysis of our prospective study was to determine how women who experienced both preoperative and persistent postsurgical breast pain (n=107) differed from women who did not report preoperative breast pain and did (n=158) or did not (n=122) experience persistent postsurgical breast pain.

Methods: Differences in demographic and clinical characteristics were evaluated.