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Treatment inhibits healing from other surgeries?

Page last modified on: October 7, 2008

Question from CBF: Can being a being a post-cancer surgery patient affect healing of other parts of the body? I had a knee cartilage repair over a year ago and still have not been normal enough to return to a healthy level of activity. The surgeon is frustrated with the healing problems. Could it be auto-immune problems? Aromatase inhibitors or other drugs? Would human growth hormones work?: Answer —Julie Gralow, M.D.: If chemotherapy was given, there is an impact on healing in general for months after the chemo, but this sounds like it's been longer than that. Aromatase inhibitors have been shown in studies to cause muscle and joint aches, and we don't understand the mechanism of that. I don't think we have data to suggest the aromatase inhibitors inhibit healing. I don't think there is data that would support the use of human growth hormones for this problem, and I doubt that having treatment for breast cancer would increase the chance of having an auto-immune disease. Of course, just because you have had breast cancer doesn't mean you couldn't develop an auto-immune disease as an unrelated problem.

On Wednesday, January 18, 2006, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Physical Activity and Breast Cancer. Miriam Nelson, Ph.D., Julie Gralow, M.D., and moderator Judith Sachs answered your questions about the many issues related to physical activity and breast cancer.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Miriam Nelson, Ph.D. is the author of the international best-sellers Strong Women Stay Young; Strong Women Stay Slim;Strong Women, Strong Bones; and other titles. She is Director of the John Hancock Center for Physical Activity and Nutrition and Associate Professor of Nutrition at the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.

Julie Gralow, M.D. is associate professor of medical oncology specializing in breast cancer at the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and director of breast medical oncology at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.

Judith Sachs is a health educator, writer, speaker, and former member of the Breastcancer.org editorial team.