Retrospective analysis of the effect of breast surgery on body posture in patients with early-stage breast cancer after cancer treatment (VENUS study)(Breast cancer and body posture)

BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of this study was to determine whether breast surgery changes body posture in patients with early-stage breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study variables include age, side and localization of the tumor in the breast, applied breast surgery, axillary interference, pathological tumor size, axillary lymph node metastasis, body mass index, bone density, adjuvant therapies, and histological type. Thoracic kyphosis angle due to the anatomically affected primary region to detect changes in body posture and Cobb’s method were used to measure this. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in the mean Cobb’s angle between the follow-up times of 57 patients (P < 0.001), with a cumulative increase in the Cobb’s angle from baseline to the second year. As the age of the diagnosis progressed, the Cobb’s angle increased significantly at 2 years when compared to baseline (r = 0,616, P < 0,001). In terms of baseline, the higher the BMI level in the 2nd year, the higher the Cobb’s angle in the 2nd year as compared to the baseline (r = 0,529, P < 0,001). CONCLUSION: It was concluded that the increase in thoracic kyphosis in patients with breast cancer should be examined psychosocially. The study should be supported by a larger number of patients.