The alteration of static and dynamic postural stability among women with breast cancer during taxane-based chemotherapy: a descriptive study.

INTRODUCTION: Women with breast cancer who underwent taxane-based chemotherapy demonstrate diminished postural stability. However, the data concerning dynamic postural stability among women with breast cancer during taxane-based chemotherapy remains insufficient. PURPOSE: To investigate postural stability among women with breast cancer during taxane-based chemotherapy. METHODS: Fifteen women with breast cancer participated in this study. Postural stabilities were assessed at five intervals during the course of chemotherapy treatment. Static postural stability was measured during single leg with eyes open (SEO) and eyes closed (SEC) conditions, while dynamic postural stability was measured during performance of the limit of stability test (LOS). Postural stability was described using 95% confidence ellipse area (EA), center of pressure (COP) path length (PL), and COP average velocity (AV). RESULTS: For static postural stability assessment, SEO condition was found to have significant increases in EA, PL, and AV (p = .001, p < .001, and p = .02, respectively). For dynamic postural stability assessment, a significant difference in EA was observed in the forward, backward, right, and left directions (p = .02, p = .02, p < .001, and p = .01, respectively). In addition, a significant difference in PL was found while performing in a backward direction (p = .02). CONCLUSIONS: The findings showed that women with breast cancer may have experienced decreased static and dynamic postural stability.

Incidence and risk factors associated with falls among women with breast cancer during taxane-based chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: This study aims to evaluate the falling incidence density and examine the potential risk factors associated with falling among women with breast cancer during taxane-based chemotherapy. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-three women with breast cancer participated in this study. The fall incidence density, taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy (TIPN) symptoms, and physical performance tests were evaluated at five time points throughout chemotherapy treatment. A fall diary was used to record fall incidence during treatment. The fall incidence density was calculated by dividing the number of first fall occurrences by person-time at risk. The risk factors associated with time to first fall were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards model. The Kaplan-Meier curve illustrated the probability of survival from a fall during chemotherapy treatment. RESULTS: Over the course of treatment, 29 (23.58%) participants reported falls. The fall incidence density was 3 per 1000 person-day. This study discovered a significant link between age (adjusted HR (HRadj) = 1.07; 95% CI: 1.02-1.13) and BMI (HRadj = 1.11; 95% CI: 1.02-1.21) and falling. CONCLUSIONS: Women with breast cancer could fall for the first time at any time after starting chemotherapy until the end of the follow-up period. Furthermore, time to first fall was associated with age and BMI. Early detection of falling in women with breast cancer, particularly among older persons and those with a high BMI, may be essential to preventing falls.

Incidence density and factors associated with peripheral neuropathy among women with breast cancer during taxane-based chemotherapy.

This work aimed to determine the incidence density of taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy (TIPN) and its risk factors among women with breast cancer. One hundred and forty-one women with breast cancer participated in this cohort study. TIPN symptoms were evaluated with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer CIPN specific self-report questionnaire (EORTC QOL-CIPN20) at five-time points throughout chemotherapy treatment. Over three months, 125 (89%) and 59 (44.03%) women with breast cancer were identified with sensory and motor neuropathy, respectively. The sensory neuropathy incidence density was 21 per 1000 person-days. The motor neuropathy incidence density was 6 per 1000 person-days. This study discovered a significant link between age and the incidence density of sensory neuropathy (HR = 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01-1.05) as well as motor neuropathy (HR = 1.05; 95% CI: 1.01-1.08). These findings imply that screening may be necessary to detect early TIPN symptoms and provide appropriate rehabilitation programs, particularly for elderly persons.

Reliability and Validity of the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy 20-Item Scale) among Thai Women with Breast Cancer Undergoing Taxane-Based Chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy 20-item scale (EORTC QLQ-CIPN20) is the common method for determining taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy (TIPN) symptoms. However, there have been no studies on the psychometric properties of the Thai Version of EORTC QLQ-CIPN20. The aim of this study was to evaluate the test-retest reliability, concurrent validity, and contrasting group validity of the Thai Version of EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 among women with breast cancer who received taxane-based chemotherapy. METHODS: Twenty-eight breast cancer patients and 28 healthy controls participated in the study. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and inter-rater reliability were assessed using Cronbach α and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Concurrent validity was assessed via the Spearman correlation coefficient of the total scale of the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 and the Total Neuropathy Score clinical version (TNSc), and contrasting group validity was assessed via the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: The internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and inter-rater reliability of the Thai Version of EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 was high to excellent (Cronbach α = 0.89, ICC = 0.84-0.95 and 0.78-0.94, respectively). However, the concurrent validity between the Thai Version of EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 and TNSc was not considered statistically significant. Contrasting group validity demonstrated statistically significant differences between breast cancer patients and healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: The results support that the Thai Version of EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 is reliable and valid in measuring TIPN symptoms in Thai women with breast cancer. The findings suggest that the Thai Version of EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 may be used to distinguish TIPN symptoms between healthy controls and women with breast cancer undergoing taxane-based chemotherapy.

Physical impairments, sensory disturbance, and functional ability in a cancer patient with and without chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: The present study examined the objective and patient-reported measures of physical impairments, sensory disturbance, and functional ability between cancer patients with and without chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) symptoms. METHODS: Forty-one cancer survivors exposed to neurotoxic chemotherapies were conveniently recruited and completed a single cross-sectional assessment of patient-reported outcomes (VAS for pain intensity and ABC scale) and objective assessments (SWM test, TUG test, 5xSTS test, Romberg test with eyes open and eyes closed, 6MWT, and FAB scale). RESULTS: Cancer patients who had undergone chemotherapy with CIPN symptoms did significantly worse in the SWM test, TUG test, 5xSTS test, Romberg test with eyes closed, 6MWT, FAB scale, and ABC scale (p < 0.05) when compared with cancer survivors without CIPN symptoms. CONCLUSION: Cancer survivors with CIPN symptoms have lower physical performance, sensory perception, and functional ability, which may increase the risk of falling and disability. These findings further emphasize the need for effective rehabilitation and interventions to treat CIPN symptoms and related physical impairment and functional deficits.