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Axillary web syndrome after axillary dissection in breast cancer: a prospective study

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Abstract

The axillary web syndrome is a self-limiting and frequently overlooked cause of significant morbidity in the early post-operative period after breast cancer axillary surgery, which is characterized by axillary pain that runs down the medial arm, limited shoulder range of motion affecting mainly shoulder abduction, and cords of subcutaneous tissue extending from axilla into the medial arm, made visible or palpable and painful by shoulder abduction. We evaluated the incidence of axillary web syndrome after axillary lymph-node dissection. Altogether 116 patients who underwent axillary lymph-node dissection were assessed for axillary web syndrome. Range of shoulder abduction, pain, and the subjective feeling of tightness along the arm were recorded. Axillary web syndrome was found in 56 patients, which means an incidence of 48.3% (CI95%: 38.9, 57.7). Axillary web syndrome is a significant self-limited cause of morbidity of axillary surgery ocurring not only in the early post-operative period.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the staff and patients of Gynecology Service of Príncipe de Asturias Hospital from Alcalá de Henares (Madrid) and also thank the Physical Therapy Research Unit of the Physical Therapy Department, at Alcalà University in Madrid, (Spain).

Sources of support

This clinical trial has been supported by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Protocol PI071124), of Spanish Health Ministry. Physical Therapy Department from Alcalá University and Príncipe de Asturias University Hospital provided the facilities to carry out the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Alcalá de Henares University, Madrid, Spain

    María Torres Lacomba & María José Yuste Sánchez

  2. Physical Therapy Research Department, Department of Physical Therapy, Alcalá University, Madrid, Spain

    María Torres Lacomba & María José Yuste Sánchez

  3. Provincial Hospital, Toledo, Spain

    Orlando Mayoral del Moral

  4. Del Henares Hospital, Madrid, Spain

    José Luís Coperias Zazo

  5. Lymphology Consultation, Sainte Catherine Institut, Avignon, France

    Jean-Claude Ferrandez

  6. Príncipe de Asturias University Hospital, Madrid, Spain

    Álvaro Zapico Goñi

  7. E.U.E. Fisioterapia, Universidad de Alcalá, Campus Externo Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona Km. 33.600, 28071, Alcalá de Henares Madrid, Spain

    María Torres Lacomba

Authors
  1. María Torres Lacomba
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  2. Orlando Mayoral del Moral
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  3. José Luís Coperias Zazo
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  4. María José Yuste Sánchez
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  5. Jean-Claude Ferrandez
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  6. Álvaro Zapico Goñi
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Correspondence to María Torres Lacomba.

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Torres Lacomba, M., Mayoral del Moral, O., Coperias Zazo, J.L. et al. Axillary web syndrome after axillary dissection in breast cancer: a prospective study. Breast Cancer Res Treat 117, 625–630 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-009-0371-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-009-0371-8

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