VIDEO: Common comorbidities associated with breast cancer treatments

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So various treatment options have different comorbidities. So as we know in terms of breast surgery, we do breast conserving surgery, mastectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection. Both sentinel lymph node biopsy and an axillary lymph node dissection increases the risk of lymphedema, although the risk of lymphedema is much higher for axillary lymph node dissection. We do use breast radiation and regional lymph node radiation which also increases the risk of lymphedema. It also causes changes to the skin. Patients may have some chronic pain at the site of the breast surgery and the sentinel lymph node scar. So these are common comorbidities seen with breast surgery and radiation.

When it comes to our systemic therapy which could be either chemotherapy, targeted therapy or hormonal therapy, the side effects are very vast. In terms of chemotherapy, the long-term problems include neuropathy, cardiotoxicity, it increases inflammatory response and predisposes patients to long-term diseases. And then in terms of hormonal therapy, patients struggle with hot flashes. There's a risk of weight gain. So these are some of the treatment related comorbidities associated with our cancer treatments.