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International journal of women's health
By Luo Z, Xu M, Gao W and 3 others.
To explore the risk factors contributing to the transition from reversible to irreversible breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), and to identify factors associated with irreversible BCRL.
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A retrospective analysis was conducted on the demographic and disease-related data of 77 BCRL patients who underwent combined breast cancer surgery, axillary lymph node dissection, and adjuvant chemotherapy in a lymphedema specialty clinic of a hospital in Shantou from January 2022 to December 2024. According to the International Lymphedema Society staging, BCRL was divided into reversible (stages 0 and 1) and irreversible (stages 2 and 3) groups. Univariate analysis was used to identify the influencing factors for progression of BCRL from the reversible stage to the irreversible stage. Due to complete separation phenomena between certain independent variables and the outcome variable, no multivariate analysis was performed.
The reversible group and irreversible BCRL groups of patients accounted for 31.2% and 68.8%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that radiotherapy (P=0.049) and axillary web syndrome (P=0.028) were responsible for progression of BCRL.
Among breast cancer patients who underwent combined breast cancer surgery, axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), and adjuvant chemotherapy, followed by radiotherapy and development of axillary web syndrome are high-risk factors correlated with irreversible BCRL. Clinically, clinicians should conduct regular long-term monitoring and timely comprehensive intervention for patients with the above risk factors in the early stage of lymphedema, so as to effectively slow disease progression and avoid irreversible lymphatic injury. Nevertheless, this study is limited by its single-center retrospective design and lack of long-term follow-up data. Multi-center prospective cohort studies are needed in the future to further verify our findings and formulate more standardized whole-cycle management schemes for BCRL.
Published in International journal of women's health. The abstract is shown as published and remains the work of its authors; read the full article at the source.
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