arm morbidity in breast cancer

Arm symptoms may include pain, discomfort, oedema, loss of strength, impaired range of motion and numbness.92 While recent research suggests that younger women are more likely than older women to report experiencing pain93 and numbness of the arm92 following axillary dissection, other studies have reported an association between upper limb pain and older age.94 In one study,women aged younger than 45 years experienced more problems doing household
chores than older women following axillary lymph node dissection.92 Younger women and women who are engaged in paid employment have been shown to report more arm symptoms than older or non-employed women at three and 12 months following axillary dissection.90