Physiotherapy treatments for breast cancer-related lymphedema: a literature

review by: Nara Fernanda Braz da Silva Leal, et al., oct 2009
Breast cancer is the second most frequent cancer among women. Surgery is part of the
therapeutic process to prevent metastases, but it can also cause some complications,
including lymphedema. Physiotherapy contributes to its treatment, using different
techniques that have been developed over the years. This systematic literature review
aims to present physiotherapy modalities applied for lymphedema therapy.
Physiotherapy resources used for lymphedema treatment include complex
decongestive therapy (CDT), pneumatic compression (PC), high voltage electrical
stimulation (HVES) and laser therapy. The analyzed literature shows that better results
are obtained with combined techniques. CDT is the most used protocol, and its
association with PC has demonstrated efficacy. The new techniques HVES and laser
present satisfactory results. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19967225)

Due to the influence of various psychological, social, and cultural factors on breast
cancer, women are reluctant to screen their breast cancer symptoms at the early stages
when treatment is most expected to be successful. Screening options for Asian women
are also limited because of demographic constrains and their knowledge of preventive
health measures. This paper proceeds to review the existing literature on factors
influencing breast cancer screening among Asian women. For the most part, health care
professionals, medical doctors, gynecologists, and breast cancer advocates should find
actual ways to overcome psychological barriers such as beliefs about pain, fear,
embarrassment, and modesty of women through public awareness campaigns.
Considerable attention should be also devoted to lower socioeconomic status women.
In the same way, health care providers should explain to the women about the
importance of breast cancer as a common disease and the existence of breast cancer
screening programs in a small scale approach, as well as the benefits that participation
in these programs can offer. This initiative is about enhancing health status among
women and it is part of community development endeavor.
[Maryam Ahmadian, Asnarulkhadi Abu Samah. A Literature Review of Factors
Influencing Breast Cancer Screening in Asian Countries. Life Sci J 2012]
(http://www.lifesciencesite.com/lsj/life0902/090_8929life0902_585_594.pdf)

Date: 13 Feb 2015

Breast Cancer Amongst Filipino Migrants: A Review of the Literature and Ten-Year
Institutional Analysis

Jory S. Simpson, Kaleigh Briggs, Ralph George

As one migrates from an area of low to high incidence of breast cancer their personal
risk of developing breast cancer increases. This is however not equally distributed
across all races and ethnicities. This paper specifically examines Filipino migrants. A
literature review was conducted to summarize breast cancer incidence, screening
practices and trends in treatment amongst Filipino migrants. In addition, a retrospective
cohort study was conducted specifically examining the age in which Filipino women
were diagnosed with breast cancer compared to Asian and Caucasian counterparts.
Filipino women are diagnosed with breast cancer at a statistically significant younger
age (53.2) compared to their Asian (55.1) and Caucasian (58.4) counterparts. In
addition, they are at an increased risk of developing more aggressive breast cancer with
noteworthy disparities in the care they are receiving.
(http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10903-015-0168-2)

Depressive Symptoms and Health-Related Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors

Cielito C. Reyes-Gibby, Dr.P.H., 1 Karen O. Anderson, Ph.D.,2 Phuong Kanh Morrow,
M.D.,3 Sanjay Shete, Ph.D.,1and Sohela Hassan, Ph.D.1
2012 March
Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment can have a profound influence on a woman's
physical, psychosocial, and overall well-being. We examined the prevalence of
depressive symptoms and its association with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in
women who are survivors of breast cancer. We also assessed if factors, including
metastasis, cancer recurrence, diagnosis of new primary cancers, and comorbid
conditions, are associated with depressive symptoms.
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3326444/)

The Prevalence and Assessment of ErbB2-Positive Breast Cancer in Asia

A Literature Survey
Yew Oo Tan, MBBS,1 Sehwan Han, MD,2 Yen-Shen Lu, MD, PhD,3 Cheng-Har Yip,
MBBS,4 Patrapim Sunpaweravong, MD,5 Joon Jeong, MD, PhD,6 Priscilla B Caguioa,
MD,7 Shyam Aggarwal, MBBS, MD,8 Ee Min Yeoh, BSc (Pharm),9 and Hanlim Moon,
MD, PhD9
December 1, 2010
Overexpression of the epidermal growth factor receptor-related gene ErbB2 occurs in
18% to 25% of patients with breast cancer in Western countries and is associated with a
poor prognosis. The prevalence of ErbB2-positive tumors in Asia is unclear, partly
because data are limited. The objective of this review was to summarize the reported
prevalence of ErbB2-positive tumors from a large sample of Asian patients and to
examine ErbB2 assessment methods in Asia. From searches of MEDLINE, local
language journals, and local and international conference proceedings as well as
locoregional breast cancer experts' recommendations, the authors selected up to 5
studies each from India, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and
Thailand that reported ErbB2 results based on assessment with immunohistochemistry
(IHC) and/or fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The reported prevalence of
ErbB2-positive tumors in 22 studies on 24,671 patients, of whom 14,398 patients were
assessed for ErbB2 status, varied widely (range, 6%-65%) as did the assessment
methods used.
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3038357/)