Functional capacity of upper limbs in patients with breast cancer

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer is the type of cancer that affects more women worldwide. Complications of cancer treatment for this cancer, such as the reduction of motion of the members involved should be considered as relevant, as they may harm the return to daily activities, and compromise the quality of life of patients. OBJECTIVE: To perform a functional analysis of upper limbs of patients undergoing surgical treatment of breast cancer, and describe the socioeconomic characteristics and clinical this population. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional observational analytic study using a convenience sample of thirty-one patients undergoing surgical treatment of breast cancer in physical therapy on an outpatient basis. As a tool for collecting data from patients, the questionnaire Disability Arm Shoulder and Hand was applied (DASH) and performed a descriptive analysis of the study variables using measures of central tendency and dispersion for continuous variables and frequencies relative and absolute for categorical variables. RESULTS: The interviewed patients had a mean of 51 ± 7 years old. Outpatient physical therapy occurred in a period less than or equal to seven months after surgery (51.6%). The total average final score of DASH was 45 ± 17. CONCLUSION: Physical therapy on an outpatient basis, even started belatedly, had a positive influence on the functional capacity of the upper limbs after surgery for breast cancer.