Risk of Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema Following Locoregional Treatment among Breast Cancer Patients at Suez Canal University Hospital | ||
| Suez Canal University Medical Journal | ||
| Volume 26, Issue 12, December 2023, Pages 37-48 PDF (337.92 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/scumj.2025.183669.1370 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Inas O. Uthman* ; Eman T. Diab; Ehab M. Hassanin; Marwa A. Suliman | ||
| Clinical Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| Background: Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) constitutes one of the most prevalent treatment sequelae among long-term survivors. Several risk factors have been suggested to be associated with BCRL, such as obesity, adjuvant radiotherapy, and taxane-based chemotherapy. Patients and Methods: Thirty-seven patients with BCRL and 74 patients without BCRL were recruited at the clinical oncology and nuclear medicine department, Suez Canal University (SCU) hospital, and their sociodemographic, cancer-related, and treatment-related data were obtained. The presence of lymphedema was assessed using limb volume difference. Results: BCRL was significantly higher in patients with advanced disease stage (p=0.019), extra-nodal extension (ENE) (p=0.009), increased number of positive lymph nodes (p=0.001), conventional radiotherapy (p=0.042), taxane-containing chemotherapy (p=0.002), and lack of proper health education on limb care (p<0.001). Conclusion: Health education programs are very valuable tools in lowering BCRL risk. Therefore, breast cancer patients should be provided with frequent assessments for arm lymphedema and proper health education programs | ||
| Keywords | ||
| lymphedema; breast cancer; Egypt | ||
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