scholarly journals Hand Edema in Patients at Risk of Breast Cancer–Related Lymphedema: Health Professionals Should Take Notice

2018 ◽  
Vol 98 (6) ◽  
pp. 510-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl L Brunelle ◽  
Meyha N Swaroop ◽  
Melissa N Skolny ◽  
Maria S Asdourian ◽  
Hoda E Sayegh ◽  
...  

Abstract Background There is little research on hand edema in the population at risk for breast cancer–related lymphedema (BCRL). Objectives Study aims included reporting potential importance of hand edema (HE) as a risk factor for progression of edema in patients treated for breast cancer at risk for BCRL, reporting risk factors for BCRL, and reporting treatment of HE. Design/Methods This was a retrospective analysis of 9 patients treated for breast cancer in Massachusetts General Hospital's lymphedema screening program who presented with isolated HE. Limb volumes via perometry, BCRL risk factors, and HE treatment are reported. Results Edema was mostly isolated to the hand. Three patients had arm edema >5% on perometry; and 2 of these had edema outside the hand on clinical examination. Patients were at high risk of BCRL with an average of 2.9/5 known risk factors. Arm edema progressed to >10% in 2 high-risk patients. Treatment resulted in an average hand volume reduction of 10.2% via perometry and improvement upon clinical examination. Limitations The small sample size and lack of validated measures of subjective data were limitations. Conclusions In this cohort, patients with HE carried significant risk factors for BCRL. Two out of 9 (22%), both carrying ≥4/5 risk factors, progressed to edema >10%. Isolated HE may be a prognostic factor for edema progression in patients treated for breast cancer at risk for BCRL. Further research is warranted.

2016 ◽  
Vol 78 (11-3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Noor Khairiah A. Karim ◽  
Rohayu Hami ◽  
Nur Hashamimi Hashim ◽  
Nizuwan Azman ◽  
Ibrahim Lutfi Shuaib

The risk factors of breast cancer among women, such as genetic, family history and lifestyle factors, can be divided into high-, intermediate- and average-risk. Determining these risk factors may actually help in preventing breast cancer occurrence. Besides that, screening of breast cancer which include mammography, can be done in promoting early breast cancer detection. Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been recommended as a supplemental screening tool in high risk women. The aim of this study was to identify the significant risk factor of breast cancer among women and also to determine the usefulness of breast MRI as an addition to mammography in detection of breast cancer in high risk women. This retrospective cohort study design was conducted using patients’ data taken from those who underwent mammography for screening or diagnostic purposes in Advanced Medical and Dental Institute, Universiti Sains Malaysia, from 2007 until 2015. Data from 289 subjects were successfully retrieved and analysed based on their risk factors of breast cancer. Meanwhile, data from 120 subjects who had high risks and underwent both mammography and breast MRI were further analysed. There were two significant risk factors of breast cancer seen among the study population: family history of breast cancer (p-value=0.012) and previous history of breast or ovarian cancer (p-value <0.001). Breast MRI demonstrated high sensitivity (90%) while mammography demonstrated high specificity (80%) in detection of breast cancer in all 120 subjects. The number of cases of breast cancer detection using breast MRI [46 (38.3%)] was higher compared to mammography [24 (20.0%)]. However, breast MRI was found to be non-significant as an adjunct tool to mammography in detecting breast cancer in high risk women (p-value=0.189). A comprehensive screening guideline and surveillance of women at high risk is indeed useful and should be implemented to increase cancer detection rate at early stage


2014 ◽  
Vol 71 (8) ◽  
pp. 757-766
Author(s):  
Jelena Nikolic ◽  
Tatjana Loncar-Turukalo ◽  
Srdjan Sladojevic ◽  
Marija Marinkovic ◽  
Zlata Janjic

Background/Aim. The lack of effective therapy for advanced stages of melanoma emphasizes the importance of preventive measures and screenings of population at risk. Identifying individuals at high risk should allow targeted screenings and follow-up involving those who would benefit most. The aim of this study was to identify most significant factors for melanoma prediction in our population and to create prognostic models for identification and differentiation of individuals at risk. Methods. This case-control study included 697 participants (341 patients and 356 controls) that underwent extensive interview and skin examination in order to check risk factors for melanoma. Pairwise univariate statistical comparison was used for the coarse selection of the most significant risk factors. These factors were fed into logistic regression (LR) and alternating decision trees (ADT) prognostic models that were assessed for their usefulness in identification of patients at risk to develop melanoma. Validation of the LR model was done by Hosmer and Lemeshow test, whereas the ADT was validated by 10-fold cross-validation. The achieved sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and AUC for both models were calculated. The melanoma risk score (MRS) based on the outcome of the LR model was presented. Results. The LR model showed that the following risk factors were associated with melanoma: sunbeds (OR = 4.018; 95% CI 1.724- 9.366 for those that sometimes used sunbeds), solar damage of the skin (OR = 8.274; 95% CI 2.661-25.730 for those with severe solar damage), hair color (OR = 3.222; 95% CI 1.984-5.231 for light brown/blond hair), the number of common naevi (over 100 naevi had OR = 3.57; 95% CI 1.427-8.931), the number of dysplastic naevi (from 1 to 10 dysplastic naevi OR was 2.672; 95% CI 1.572-4.540; for more than 10 naevi OR was 6.487; 95%; CI 1.993-21.119), Fitzpatricks phototype and the presence of congenital naevi. Red hair, phototype I and large congenital naevi were only present in melanoma patients and thus were strongly associated with melanoma. The percentage of correctly classified subjects in the LR model was 74.9%, sensitivity 71%, specificity 78.7% and AUC 0.805. For the ADT percentage of correctly classified instances was 71.9%, sensitivity 71.9%, specificity 79.4% and AUC 0.808. Conclusion. Application of different models for risk assessment and prediction of melanoma should provide efficient and standardized tool in the hands of clinicians. The presented models offer effective discrimination of individuals at high risk, transparent decision making and real-time implementation suitable for clinical practice. A continuous melanoma database growth would provide for further adjustments and enhancements in model accuracy as well as offering a possibility for successful application of more advanced data mining algorithms.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 117822342199627 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nabila El-Sheikh ◽  
Nahla O Mousa ◽  
Amany M Tawfeik ◽  
Alaa M Saleh ◽  
Iman Elshikh ◽  
...  

Numerous risk factors for breast cancer (BC) have been identified. High-risk human papilloma virus (HR-HPV) is the etiological agent of cervical cancer and in some cases of head and neck cancer, specifically oropharyngeal cancer, but the role of HR-HPV in evoking neoplasia in BC is still unclear. In this study, all women above the age of 18 visiting the oncology clinic at Al-Azhar university hospital and Ain Shams specialized hospital between the period of February 2017 and March 2018 were invited to participate. We determined the prevalence of HR-HPV genotypes 16, 18, and 31 in breast tissue samples from 72 women with treatment-naïve BC and 15 women with benign breast lesions (BBL) by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and primer sets targeting the E6 and E7 regions. High-risk human papilloma virus DNA was detected in 16 of 72 (22.2%) BC cases (viral load range = 0.3-237.8 copies/uL) and 0 of 15 women with BBL. High-risk human papilloma virus was detected in 14 of 16 (87.5%), 2 of 16 (12.5%), and 0 of 16 (0%) for genotypes 16, 18, and 31, respectively. Forty-three age-matched healthy Egyptian women were enrolled as controls for assessment of local risk factors that can be used to initiate a strategy of BC prevention in Egypt. Assessment of the risk factors demonstrated that low education level, passive smoking, lack of physical activity, family history of cancer, and use of oral contraception were significant risk factors for BC. In conclusion, our results lead us to postulate that HR-HPV infection may be implicated in the development of some types of BC in Egyptian women. In addition, identification of local risk factors can support practical prevention strategies for BC in Egypt.


2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 409-418
Author(s):  
Ausanee Wanchai ◽  
Jane M. Armer

PurposeBreast-cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a negative condition that affects biopsychosocial aspects of patients treated with breast cancer. Yoga has been reported as one of the complementary and alternative approaches used by patients diagnosed with BCRL. The aim of this systematic review was to explore the effectiveness of yoga on BCRL.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature was performed by searching existing papers from the electronic scientific databases. Five papers were exclusively examined. Four studies were conducted in women with BCRL, and one study was conducted with women at risk for BCRL.FindingsFour types of yoga were evaluated in relationship with BCRL, namely: the Satyananda Yoga tradition, the modified Hatha yoga, the aerobic yoga training and the Ashtanga-based yoga practices. Four of five included studies reported that decrease in arm volume was not reported for all yoga-type interventions. One study showed no significant evidence that yoga was associated with limb volume change in women at risk of BCRL. Similarly, three studies reported that the change-of-arm-volume measures were not significantly different between the yoga and the control groups or in the same group before and after the yoga program. One quasi-experimental study reported arm volume significantly decreased after attending the yoga program.Originality/valueThis review reported the importance of being aware that yoga is not shown to be an effective strategy for managing or preventing BCRL. However, quality of research methodology, small sample sizes and the limited number of related studies should be acknowledged. Until more rigorous studies are performed, yoga may continue to be used as a complement to traditional therapy under the supervision of certified trainers.


Curationis ◽  
1978 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
J.V. Larsen

It has recently been demonstrated that about 56 percent of patients delivering in a rural obstetric unit had significant risk factors, and that 85 percent of these could have been detected by meticulous antenatal screening before the onset of labour. These figures show that the average rural obstetric unit in South Africa is dealing with a large percentage of high risk patients. In this work, it is hampered by: 1. Communications problems: i.e. bad roads, long distances. and unpredictable telephones. 2. A serious shortage of medical staff resulting in primary obstetric care being delivered by midwives with minimal medical supervision.


Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1303
Author(s):  
Khairunnisa’ Md Yusof ◽  
Kelly A. Avery-Kiejda ◽  
Shafinah Ahmad Suhaimi ◽  
Najwa Ahmad Zamri ◽  
Muhammad Ehsan Fitri Rusli ◽  
...  

Breast cancer has been reported to have the highest survival rate among various cancers. However, breast cancer survivors face several challenges following breast cancer treatment including breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), sexual dysfunction, and psychological distress. This study aimed to investigate the potential risk factors of BCRL in long term breast cancer survivors. A total of 160 female breast cancer subjects were recruited on a voluntary basis and arm lymphedema was assessed through self-reporting of diagnosis, arm circumference measurement, and ultrasound examination. A total of 33/160 or 20.5% of the women developed BCRL with significantly higher scores for upper extremity disability (37.14 ± 18.90 vs. 20.08 ± 15.29, p < 0.001) and a lower score for quality of life (103.91 ± 21.80 vs. 115.49 ± 16.80, p = 0.009) as compared to non-lymphedema cases. Univariate analysis revealed that multiple surgeries (OR = 5.70, 95% CI: 1.21–26.8, p < 0.001), axillary lymph nodes excision (>10) (OR = 2.83, 95% CI: 0.94–8.11, p = 0.047), being overweight (≥25 kg/m2) (OR = 2.57, 95% CI: 1.04 – 6.38, p = 0.036), received fewer post-surgery rehabilitation treatment (OR = 2.37, 95% CI: 1.05–5.39, p = 0.036) and hypertension (OR = 2.38, 95% CI: 1.01–5.62, p = 0.043) were associated with an increased risk of BCRL. Meanwhile, multivariate analysis showed that multiple surgeries remained significant and elevated the likelihood of BCRL (OR = 5.83, 95% CI: 1.14–29.78, p = 0.034). Arm swelling was more prominent in the forearm area demonstrated by the highest difference of arm circumference measurement when compared to the upper arm (2.07 ± 2.48 vs. 1.34 ± 1.91 cm, p < 0.001). The total of skinfold thickness of the affected forearm was also significantly higher than the unaffected arms (p < 0.05) as evidenced by the ultrasound examination. The continuous search for risk factors in specific populations may facilitate the development of a standardized method to reduce the occurrence of BCRL and provide better management for breast cancer patients.


2021 ◽  
pp. 154041532199062
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Anderson ◽  
Jane M. Armer

Introduction: Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a treatment sequela with negative physical and psychological implications. BCRL is a lifetime concern for survivors and is currently incurable. With the increase in the Latino population in the United States, it is critical for the cancer care community to address factors that increase BCRL risk and negatively impact long-term quality of life. This literature review undertook to identify successful intervention strategies for BCRL among Latina survivors. Methods: Multiple databases were searched for published articles from 2006 to 2020. PRISMA guidelines were utilized. Data were extracted related to physical activity, diet, and psychosocial stress concerns of Latinas at risk for or living with BCRL. Results: Eleven interventions combined education and skill-building techniques to address physical activity, diet, and stress management for BCRL. Family involvement, peer-mentoring, culturally tailored education, and self-care skill development were identified as important for Latina survivors. Conclusion: Latina survivors may benefit from culturally tailored BCRL education programs and self-management interventions. Health care professionals and researchers should consider cultural influences when developing clinical intervention strategies to enhance outcomes for Latinas at risk for living with BCRL. In addition, including family members and/or peers in such strategies may be helpful to Latina survivors.


2008 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 357-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.-G. Lu ◽  
F. Ye ◽  
Y.-M. Shen ◽  
Y.-F. Fu ◽  
H.-Z. Chen ◽  
...  

This study was designed to analyze the outcomes of chemotherapy for high-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) with EMA-CO regimen as primary and secondary protocol in China. Fifty-four patients with high-risk GTN received 292 EMA/CO treatment cycles between 1996 and 2005. Forty-five patients were primarily treated with EMA-CO, and nine were secondarily treated after failure to other combination chemotherapy. Adjuvant surgery and radiotherapy were used in the selected patients. Response, survival and related risk factors, as well as chemotherapy complications, were retrospectively analyzed. Thirty-five of forty-five patients (77.8%) receiving EMA-CO as first-line treatment achieved complete remission, and 77.8% (7/9) as secondary treatment. The overall survival rate was 87.0% in all high-risk GTN patients, with 93.3% (42/45) as primary therapy and 55.6% (5/9) as secondary therapy. The survival rates were significantly different between two groups (χ2= 6.434, P = 0.011). Univariate analysis showed that the metastatic site and the number of metastatic organs were significant risk factors, but binomial distribution logistic regression analysis revealed that only the number of metastatic organs was an independent risk factor for the survival rate. No life-threatening toxicity and secondary malignancy were found. EMA-EP regimen was used for ten patients who were resistant to EMA-CO and three who relapsed after EMA-CO. Of those, 11 patients (84.6%) achieved complete remission. We conclude that EMA-CO regimen is an effective and safe primary therapy for high-risk GTN, but not an appropriate second-line protocol. The number of metastatic organs is an independent prognostic factor for the patient with high-risk GTN. EMA-EP regimen is a highly effective salvage therapy for those failing to EMA-CO.


Author(s):  
Vishnu Gopal ◽  
Abhinabha Acharya ◽  
Vasudha Narayanaswamy ◽  
Santanu Pal

Objectives: Lymphedema of the arm is a devastating complication of breast carcinoma treatment. There is a lack of research on the risk factors and methods of preventing upper limb lymphedema after breast carcinoma treatment. The aims of the study are to identify the prevalence and risk factors for upper limb lymphedema in patients attending a tertiary cancer care center in India. Methods: 199 patients who attended the outpatient department of radiotherapy of IPGMER and SSKM, after undergoing surgical treatment for breast cancer between November 2014 to May 2016 were examined for the presence of lymphedema and its risk factors were analyzed. Lymphedema was defined as being present when there is an increase of >5% sum difference in the arm circumferences measured at different levels of both the upper limbs. Results: Of the 199 patients analyzed, 85 (42.7%) patients were found to have lymphedema. The prevalence of lymphedema was 25% in those who underwent surgery alone and 54% in those who underwent chest wall radiotherapy also. Locally advanced stage of the disease, body mass index >25 kg/m2, number of lymph nodes removed during surgery, and adjuvant radiotherapy were found to be significant risk factors for the development of lymphedema. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, we recommend weight reduction and more judicious axillary lymph node dissection and use of postoperative radiotherapy as methods to prevent breast cancer-associated lymphedema in the tertiary cancer care centers in India.


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