Abstract
The main purpose of this nationwide follow-up study was to examine the development of self-reported lymphedema in the population of women with early-stage breast cancer in Denmark. In 2008 and 2012 two identical questionnaires were sent to the women aged 18-70 years treated for unilateral primary breast cancer in 2005 and 2006. 2293 women (87%) reported on lymphedema in 2008 and 2012. Overall 37% reported lymphedema in 2008 while 31% reported lymphedema in 2012 and severity of symptoms decreased. 50% of women treated with SLNB and reporting lymphedema in 2008 did not report symptoms by 2012 in contrast to 30% treated with ALND. However, 19% of women treated with ALND and not reporting lymphedema in 2008 had developed lymphedema by 2012. In conclusion lymphedema remains a frequent problem, years after treatment for breast cancer, though, number of women reporting lymphedema and overall severity of symptoms decreased.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Breast (Edinburgh, Scotland) |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| Pages (from-to) | 445-452 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| ISSN | 0960-9776 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2014 |
Keywords
- Adolescent
- Adult
- Aged
- Arm
- Breast Neoplasms
- Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
- Denmark
- Female
- Follow-Up Studies
- Humans
- Lymph Node Excision
- Lymphedema
- Mastectomy
- Mastectomy, Segmental
- Middle Aged
- Neoplasm Staging
- Prevalence
- Radiotherapy, Adjuvant
- Self Report
- Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
- Severity of Illness Index
- Statistics as Topic
- Young Adult
