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Objective <p>To determine the long-term prevalence and persistence of axillary web syndrome (AWS) in breast cancer survivors and its association with lymphedema, shoulder range of motion (ROM), and pain.</p> Methods <p>A longitudinal cohort study was conducted at the Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Twenty-five women who had previously participated in a physiotherapy intervention trial were reassessed 3–6 years after surgery. Current evaluations included pain using the Verbal Analog Scale (VAS), shoulder ROM by goniometry, presence of cords, and lymphedema status. Patients had been treated with either exercise alone or a combination of tissue mobilization and exercise.</p> Results <p>AWS was present in 64% of participants, with 100% of cords being palpable and 87.5% located in the axilla. There was no significant association between AWS and lymphedema (<i>p</i> = 0.166). No measurable ROM or pain deficits were observed between groups (<i>p</i> &gt; 0.05).</p> Conclusion <p>AWS may persist for several years after breast cancer surgery, though it does not appear to cause measurable impairments in pain or shoulder range of motion. Despite the absence of formal quality-of-life assessments, structured long-term follow-up remains clinically important to support early detection and guide rehabilitation strategies during survivorship care.</p>

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Long term outcomes of axillary web syndrome and its association with lymphedema and functional impairments in breast cancer survivors

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2025年7月21日

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  • Patrícia Vieira Guedes Figueira,
  • Cinira Assad Simão Haddad,
  • Samantha Karlla Lopes de Almeida Rizzi,
  • Amanda Estevão,
  • Simone Elias,
  • Gil Facina,
  • Afonso Celso Pinto Nazário

摘要

Objective

To determine the long-term prevalence and persistence of axillary web syndrome (AWS) in breast cancer survivors and its association with lymphedema, shoulder range of motion (ROM), and pain.

Methods

A longitudinal cohort study was conducted at the Universidade Federal de São Paulo. Twenty-five women who had previously participated in a physiotherapy intervention trial were reassessed 3–6 years after surgery. Current evaluations included pain using the Verbal Analog Scale (VAS), shoulder ROM by goniometry, presence of cords, and lymphedema status. Patients had been treated with either exercise alone or a combination of tissue mobilization and exercise.

Results

AWS was present in 64% of participants, with 100% of cords being palpable and 87.5% located in the axilla. There was no significant association between AWS and lymphedema (p = 0.166). No measurable ROM or pain deficits were observed between groups (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

AWS may persist for several years after breast cancer surgery, though it does not appear to cause measurable impairments in pain or shoulder range of motion. Despite the absence of formal quality-of-life assessments, structured long-term follow-up remains clinically important to support early detection and guide rehabilitation strategies during survivorship care.