Lymphedema Signs, Symptoms, and Diagnosis in Women Who Are in Minority and Low-Income Groups and Have Survived Breast Cancer.

Background: Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a well-known side effect of cancer and its treatment with wide-ranging prevalence estimates.

Objective: This study describes associations between breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) signs, symptoms, and diagnosis for women who were African American, white, or had a low income and survived breast cancer.

Design: This is a cross-sectional, observational study that used a computer-assisted telephone interview.

Physical impairments and physical therapy services for minority and low-income breast cancer survivors.

Purpose: We describe impairments after breast cancer and its treatment for African American (AA), non-Hispanic white and low-income breast cancer survivors (BCS) and whether physical therapy (PT) was utilized to address these impairments.

Methods: BCS from the Southern Community Cohort Study (SCCS) were surveyed about self-reported BC treatment-related impairments (shoulder impairment, muscle weakness, pain, fatigue, skin numbness, abnormal posture) and referral to PT for impairments. We compared impairments by race, income and PT utilization.