The relationship between depressive symptoms and shoulder mobility among older women: assessment at one year after breast cancer diagnosis.

Objective: To examine the association between depressive symptoms and shoulder range of motion at one year after breast cancer diagnosis, controlling for patient characteristics, tumour stage and cancer therapy (surgery, axillary node dissection and radiation).

Design: Prospective trial of nurse case management involving 187 older women with complete data, age 60 years and older, newly diagnosed with breast cancer, from 1 November, 1993 to 31 October, 1996 in south-eastern Texas. Depressive symptoms, sociodemographic characteristics and breast cancer treatment were measured at two months and shoulder range of motion at 12 months.

Breast carcinoma treatment received by women with disabilities compared with women without disabilities.

Background: Disability may make it difficult to lie flat or abduct the arm to deliver radiation therapy, imposing a high risk for radiation-induced side effects or difficulty in positioning patients for mammography. The goal of the current study was to determine the differences in treatment options experienced by women with physical disabilities compared with those without disabilities.

Methods: Chart review of 234 women who underwent surgery for breast carcinoma between June and September 1998 in a national comprehensive cancer center was conducted.