%0 Journal Article
%T Early Contralateral Shoulder-Arm Morbidity in Breast Cancer Patients Enrolled in a Randomized Trial of Post-Surgery Radiation Therapy
%A Nele Adriaenssens
%A Vincent Vinh-hung
%A Geertje Miedema
%A Harijati Versmessen
%A Jan Lamote
%A Marian Vanhoeij
%A Pierre Lievens
%A Hilde van Parijs
%A Guy Storme
%A Mia Voordeckers and Mark De Ridder
%J Breast Cancer: Basic and Clinical Research
%D 2012
%I 
%R 10.4137/BCBCR.S9362
%X Introduction: Shoulder/arm morbidity is a common complication of breast cancer surgery and radiotherapy (RT), but little is known about acute contralateral morbidity. Methods: Patients were 118 women enrolled in a RT trial. Arm volume and shoulder mobility were assessed before and 1¨C3 months after RT. Correlations and linear regression were used to analyze changes affecting ipsilateral and contralateral arms, and changes affecting relative interlimb differences (RID). Results: Changes affecting one limb correlated with changes affecting the other limb. Arm volume between the two limbs correlated (R = 0.57). Risk factors were weight increase and axillary dissection. Contralateral and ipsilateral loss of abduction strongly correlated (R = 0.78). Changes of combined RID exceeding 10% affected the ipsilateral limb in 25% of patients, and the contralateral limb in 18%. Aromatase inhibitor therapy was significantly associated with contralateral loss of abduction. Conclusions: High incidence of early contralateral arm morbidity warrants further investigations.
%U http://www.la-press.com/early-contralateral-shoulder-arm-morbidity-in-breast-cancer-patients-e-article-a3292