Influence of age and lymphedema on the postural balance of women undergoing breast cancer treatment.

INTRODUCTION

Breast cancer affects women of different ages, and comorbidities resulting from treatment can affect postural stability. The study aimed to evaluate the influence of age and lymphedema on the postural balance of women undergoing breast cancer treatment.

METHODS

The study included 77 women undergoing breast cancer treatment, divided into different groups: 37 young adult women divided into 17 with lymphedema (GYL) and 20 young adults without lymphedema (GY); 40 elderly women, 20 elderly women with lymphedema (GEL) and 20 elderly women without lymphedema (GE). Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini BESTest) and Falls Efficacy Scale - International (FES-I) were used.

RESULTS

Mini BESTest and FES-I between the groups showed that GE and GEL had a significant difference to GY. Mini BESTest Total and Time Up and Go TUG-Double Task showed that GE has a significant difference to GYL, with GE and GEL having lower scores. Moderate negative correlation in the GEL between FES-I and Mini BESTest. In the age correlation between the Mini BESTest, FES-I, TUG, and double task TUG, a moderate positive correlation was observed for TUG. GEL showed a moderate positive correlation for FES-I and double-task TUG, strong for TUG, and moderate negative correlation with Mini BESTest. Correlation of the volume difference between the limb affected and not affected by lymphedema and the FES-I, Mini BESTest, TUG, and TUG double task, GYL showed moderate negative correlation for TUG.

CONCLUSION

Age and lymphedema influenced the dynamic postural balance of women undergoing breast cancer treatment.