Relationship between Incident Rate of Lymphedema and Timing for Starting Movement Therapy in Japanese Women after Breast Cancer Surgery with Axillary Lymph Node Dissection

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  • 日本人乳がん腋窩郭清術後患者のリンパ浮腫発症率と運動開始時期の関連
  • ─術後翌日と8 日目の比較─
  • A Comparison between 1 and 8 Postoperative Days

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Abstract

<p>Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of delayed shoulder exercise program on the incidence of lymphedema in Japanese patients after breast cancer surgery.</p><p>Methods: One hundred fourteen Japanese women who had undergone a surgery for breast cancer participated in this study. Fifty-seven patients started shoulder exercises on the day after operation and the other 57 patients were restricted from performing shoulder exercises for the first 7 postoperative days. The incidence of lymphedema and shoulder movement were compared between groups.</p><p>Results: Lymphedema, defined by a limb volume difference of 200 ml or more, was observed in three patients (5.3%) in the early exercise group and in five patients (8.8%) in the delayed exercise group, and there were no significant differences between groups. At discharge, restricted range of motion was significantly larger in the delayed exercise group than in the early exercise group.</p><p>Conclusion: Our results suggested that a program of delayed shoulder exercise did not contribute to a decrease in the incidence of lymphedema in Japanese patients after breast cancer surgery.</p>

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