Lymphatico-venous anastomosis as treatment for breast cancer-related lymphedema: a prospective study on quality of life

Anouk J. M. Cornelissen; Melissa Kool; Tiara R. Lopez Penha; Xavier H. A. Keuter; Andrzej A. Piatkowski; E. Heuts; Rene R. W. J. van der Hulst; Shan Shan Qiu

doi:10.1007/s10549-017-4180-1

Lymphatico-venous anastomosis as treatment for breast cancer-related lymphedema: a prospective study on quality of life

Anouk J. M. Cornelissen, Melissa Kool, Tiara R. Lopez Penha, Xavier H. A. Keuter, Andrzej A. Piatkowski, E. Heuts, Rene R. W. J. van der Hulst, Shan Shan Qiu^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Lymphedema is a chronic and disabling sequel of breast cancer treatment that can be treated by lymphatico-venous anastomosis (LVA). Artificial connections between the venous and lymphatic system are performed supermicrosurgically. This prospective study analyses the effect of LVA on quality of life.

A prospective study was performed between November 2015 and July 2016 on consecutive patients in the Maastricht University Medical Centre. Quality of life was considered as the primary outcome, and the Lymphedema International Classification of Functioning (Lymph-ICF) questionnaire was used. Discontinuation of compressive stockings and arm volume, using the Upper Extremity Lymphedema index (UEL-index), were the secondary outcomes.

Twenty women with early-stage breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) were included. The mean age was 55.9 +/- 4 years and the median BMI was 25.1 [21-30] kg/m(2). The mean follow-up was 7.8 +/- 1.5 months. Statistically significant improvement in quality of life was achieved in the total score and for all the quality of life domains after one year of follow-up (p <0.05). The discontinuation rate in compressive stockings use was 85%. The difference in mean relative volume did not show a statistically significant decrease.

LVA for early-stage BCRL resulted in a significant improvement in quality of life and a high rate in stocking discontinuation.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	281-286
Number of pages	6
Journal	Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
Volume	163
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-017-4180-1
Publication status	Published - Jun 2017

Keywords

Breast cancer
Lymphedema
Quality of life
Lymphatico-venous anastomosis
LOWER-EXTREMITY LYMPHEDEMA
INDOCYANINE-GREEN
LOWER-LIMB
BYPASS
METAANALYSIS
EXPERIENCE
MANAGEMENT
VALIDITY
TRIAL

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Cite this

@article{bd5d4f734e7c46208407b0029dcaa588,

title = "Lymphatico-venous anastomosis as treatment for breast cancer-related lymphedema: a prospective study on quality of life",

abstract = "Lymphedema is a chronic and disabling sequel of breast cancer treatment that can be treated by lymphatico-venous anastomosis (LVA). Artificial connections between the venous and lymphatic system are performed supermicrosurgically. This prospective study analyses the effect of LVA on quality of life.A prospective study was performed between November 2015 and July 2016 on consecutive patients in the Maastricht University Medical Centre. Quality of life was considered as the primary outcome, and the Lymphedema International Classification of Functioning (Lymph-ICF) questionnaire was used. Discontinuation of compressive stockings and arm volume, using the Upper Extremity Lymphedema index (UEL-index), were the secondary outcomes.Twenty women with early-stage breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) were included. The mean age was 55.9 +/- 4 years and the median BMI was 25.1 [21-30] kg/m(2). The mean follow-up was 7.8 +/- 1.5 months. Statistically significant improvement in quality of life was achieved in the total score and for all the quality of life domains after one year of follow-up (p <0.05). The discontinuation rate in compressive stockings use was 85%. The difference in mean relative volume did not show a statistically significant decrease.LVA for early-stage BCRL resulted in a significant improvement in quality of life and a high rate in stocking discontinuation.",

keywords = "Breast cancer, Lymphedema, Quality of life, Lymphatico-venous anastomosis, LOWER-EXTREMITY LYMPHEDEMA, INDOCYANINE-GREEN, LOWER-LIMB, BYPASS, METAANALYSIS, EXPERIENCE, MANAGEMENT, VALIDITY, TRIAL",

author = "Cornelissen, {Anouk J. M.} and Melissa Kool and Penha, {Tiara R. Lopez} and Keuter, {Xavier H. A.} and Piatkowski, {Andrzej A.} and E. Heuts and {van der Hulst}, {Rene R. W. J.} and Qiu, {Shan Shan}",

year = "2017",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1007/s10549-017-4180-1",

language = "English",

volume = "163",

pages = "281--286",

journal = "Breast Cancer Research and Treatment",

issn = "0167-6806",

publisher = "Springer, Cham",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Lymphatico-venous anastomosis as treatment for breast cancer-related lymphedema

T2 - a prospective study on quality of life

AU - Cornelissen, Anouk J. M.

AU - Kool, Melissa

AU - Penha, Tiara R. Lopez

AU - Keuter, Xavier H. A.

AU - Piatkowski, Andrzej A.

AU - Heuts, E.

AU - van der Hulst, Rene R. W. J.

AU - Qiu, Shan Shan

PY - 2017/6

Y1 - 2017/6

N2 - Lymphedema is a chronic and disabling sequel of breast cancer treatment that can be treated by lymphatico-venous anastomosis (LVA). Artificial connections between the venous and lymphatic system are performed supermicrosurgically. This prospective study analyses the effect of LVA on quality of life.A prospective study was performed between November 2015 and July 2016 on consecutive patients in the Maastricht University Medical Centre. Quality of life was considered as the primary outcome, and the Lymphedema International Classification of Functioning (Lymph-ICF) questionnaire was used. Discontinuation of compressive stockings and arm volume, using the Upper Extremity Lymphedema index (UEL-index), were the secondary outcomes.Twenty women with early-stage breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) were included. The mean age was 55.9 +/- 4 years and the median BMI was 25.1 [21-30] kg/m(2). The mean follow-up was 7.8 +/- 1.5 months. Statistically significant improvement in quality of life was achieved in the total score and for all the quality of life domains after one year of follow-up (p <0.05). The discontinuation rate in compressive stockings use was 85%. The difference in mean relative volume did not show a statistically significant decrease.LVA for early-stage BCRL resulted in a significant improvement in quality of life and a high rate in stocking discontinuation.

AB - Lymphedema is a chronic and disabling sequel of breast cancer treatment that can be treated by lymphatico-venous anastomosis (LVA). Artificial connections between the venous and lymphatic system are performed supermicrosurgically. This prospective study analyses the effect of LVA on quality of life.A prospective study was performed between November 2015 and July 2016 on consecutive patients in the Maastricht University Medical Centre. Quality of life was considered as the primary outcome, and the Lymphedema International Classification of Functioning (Lymph-ICF) questionnaire was used. Discontinuation of compressive stockings and arm volume, using the Upper Extremity Lymphedema index (UEL-index), were the secondary outcomes.Twenty women with early-stage breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) were included. The mean age was 55.9 +/- 4 years and the median BMI was 25.1 [21-30] kg/m(2). The mean follow-up was 7.8 +/- 1.5 months. Statistically significant improvement in quality of life was achieved in the total score and for all the quality of life domains after one year of follow-up (p <0.05). The discontinuation rate in compressive stockings use was 85%. The difference in mean relative volume did not show a statistically significant decrease.LVA for early-stage BCRL resulted in a significant improvement in quality of life and a high rate in stocking discontinuation.

KW - Breast cancer

KW - Lymphedema

KW - Quality of life

KW - Lymphatico-venous anastomosis

KW - LOWER-EXTREMITY LYMPHEDEMA

KW - INDOCYANINE-GREEN

KW - LOWER-LIMB

KW - BYPASS

KW - METAANALYSIS

KW - EXPERIENCE

KW - MANAGEMENT

KW - VALIDITY

KW - TRIAL

U2 - 10.1007/s10549-017-4180-1

DO - 10.1007/s10549-017-4180-1

M3 - Article

C2 - 28265793

SN - 0167-6806

VL - 163

SP - 281

EP - 286

JO - Breast Cancer Research and Treatment

JF - Breast Cancer Research and Treatment

IS - 2

ER -