CARDIOVASCULAR FORM OF AUTONOMIC NEUROPATHY IN BREAST CANCER PATIENTS AND METHODS OF ITS CORRECTION

Abstract

This article is devoted to the study of the cardiovascular form of autonomic neuropathy in breast cancer patients during antitumor therapy. Since the autonomic nervous system is an important component in maintaining homeostasis, the study of its dysfunction in the cardiovascular form of autonomic neuropathy and the use of rehabilitation measures to correct this condition are beyond doubt. The aim of the study was to study the cardiovascular form of autonomic neuropathy in breast cancer patients during complex antitumor therapy and to assess the dynamics of their condition after using rehabilitation measures. Material and methods. A prospective open-label study was conducted on the basis of the FSBI "Federal Clinical Research Center for Medical Radiology and Oncology" of the FMBA of Russia in the period from September 2021 to June 2023; data of 60 patients (all women) with stages I–IV breast cancer of age groups: 25–45 years, 46–65 years, 66–80 years were analyzed. Neurological examination and physical examination were performed. Standardized tests were used to diagnose the cardiovascular form of autonomic neuropathy. The scientific novelty of this study lies in identifying the cardiovascular form of autonomic neuropathy in patients with breast cancer in the process of complex antitumor therapy and assessing its condition when using appropriate rehabilitation measures. Research results. The main complaints of breast cancer patients who underwent surgical treatment in the early postoperative period were: pain in the arm (50.0%) and swelling of the arm on the side of the operation (62.5%); pain in the shoulder joint (62.5%), limitation of movement amplitude in the shoulder joint on the side of the operation (50%). Patients who received radiation therapy reported complaints of skin manifestations (50.0%), numbness of fingers and feet (52.1%), palpitations (54.3%), a feeling of heart failure (52.1%), frequent changes in blood pressure readings (47.8%). For patients who received antitumor drug therapy complaints of digestive disorders – nausea, vomiting, aversion to food, frequent loose stools (33.3%) as well as hair loss (33.3%) are characteristic. Conducting a comparative analysis of cardiovascular tests results before and after rehabilitation measures, it can be noted that the number of patients with normal indicators for all tests increased by 36.6% after rehabilitation measures. Conclusions. Medical rehabilitation has demonstrated a positive effect in the form of reducing the symptoms of the cardiovascular form of autonomic neuropathy, normalization of the autonomic nervous system's functioning.