The Effect of Lymphaticovenous Anastomosis in Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema: A Review of the Literature

Anouk J. M. Cornelissen; Jop Beugels; Lotte Ewalds; Esther M. Heuts; Xavier H. A. Keuter; Andrzej Piatkowski; Rene R. W. J. van der Hulst; Shan Shan Qiu Shao

doi:10.1089/lrb.2017.0067

The Effect of Lymphaticovenous Anastomosis in Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema: A Review of the Literature

Anouk J. M. Cornelissen, Jop Beugels, Lotte Ewalds, Esther M. Heuts, Xavier H. A. Keuter, Andrzej Piatkowski, Rene R. W. J. van der Hulst, Shan Shan Qiu Shao^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › (Systematic) Review article › peer-review

Abstract

Background: Lymphedema affects approximate to 15% of all patients after breast cancer treatment. The aim of this review was to assess the clinical effects (improvement in arm circumference and quality of life) of lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA) in treating breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL). Methods and Results: A systematic literature search was conducted in Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Library in July 2017, to identify all studies on LVA for the treatment of BCRL. The primary outcome was limb volume or circumference reduction and the secondary outcome was the improvement of quality of life. The search yielded 686 results, of which 15 articles were included in this review. All studies reported on BCRL in terms of volume or circumference reduction. Thirteen out of the included studies reported a positive surgical effect on reduction in volume or circumference. Twelve articles mentioned qualitative measures, being symptom improvement and improvement in quality of life. The number of patients who experienced symptoms relief ranged from 50% to 100% in the studies. Conclusions: The current review showed that the effects of LVA for the treatment of BCRL are variable among studies, although overall LVA seems effective in early stage BCRL. Higher quality studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness of LVA.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	426-434
Number of pages	9
Journal	Lymphatic Research and Biology
Volume	16
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1089/lrb.2017.0067
Publication status	Published - 1 Oct 2018

Keywords

literature review
lymphaticovenous anastomosis
surgical treatment
lymphaticovenous bypass
EXTREMITY-LYMPHEDEMA
SURGICAL TREATMENTS
VENOUS ANASTOMOSIS
UPPER-LIMB
FOLLOW-UP
BYPASS
MANAGEMENT
EFFICACY
LVA

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10.1089/lrb.2017.0067

Cite this

@article{1c22759ceba24291b25e1b21d744ab80,

title = "The Effect of Lymphaticovenous Anastomosis in Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema: A Review of the Literature",

abstract = "Background: Lymphedema affects approximate to 15% of all patients after breast cancer treatment. The aim of this review was to assess the clinical effects (improvement in arm circumference and quality of life) of lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA) in treating breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL). Methods and Results: A systematic literature search was conducted in Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Library in July 2017, to identify all studies on LVA for the treatment of BCRL. The primary outcome was limb volume or circumference reduction and the secondary outcome was the improvement of quality of life. The search yielded 686 results, of which 15 articles were included in this review. All studies reported on BCRL in terms of volume or circumference reduction. Thirteen out of the included studies reported a positive surgical effect on reduction in volume or circumference. Twelve articles mentioned qualitative measures, being symptom improvement and improvement in quality of life. The number of patients who experienced symptoms relief ranged from 50% to 100% in the studies. Conclusions: The current review showed that the effects of LVA for the treatment of BCRL are variable among studies, although overall LVA seems effective in early stage BCRL. Higher quality studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness of LVA.",

keywords = "literature review, lymphaticovenous anastomosis, surgical treatment, lymphaticovenous bypass, EXTREMITY-LYMPHEDEMA, SURGICAL TREATMENTS, VENOUS ANASTOMOSIS, UPPER-LIMB, FOLLOW-UP, BYPASS, MANAGEMENT, EFFICACY, LVA",

author = "Cornelissen, {Anouk J. M.} and Jop Beugels and Lotte Ewalds and Heuts, {Esther M.} and Keuter, {Xavier H. A.} and Andrzej Piatkowski and {van der Hulst}, {Rene R. W. J.} and Shao, {Shan Shan Qiu}",

year = "2018",

month = oct,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1089/lrb.2017.0067",

language = "English",

volume = "16",

pages = "426--434",

journal = "Lymphatic Research and Biology",

issn = "1539-6851",

publisher = "Mary Ann Liebert Inc.",

number = "5",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Effect of Lymphaticovenous Anastomosis in Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema

T2 - A Review of the Literature

AU - Cornelissen, Anouk J. M.

AU - Beugels, Jop

AU - Ewalds, Lotte

AU - Heuts, Esther M.

AU - Keuter, Xavier H. A.

AU - Piatkowski, Andrzej

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

AU - Shao, Shan Shan Qiu

PY - 2018/10/1

Y1 - 2018/10/1

N2 - Background: Lymphedema affects approximate to 15% of all patients after breast cancer treatment. The aim of this review was to assess the clinical effects (improvement in arm circumference and quality of life) of lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA) in treating breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL). Methods and Results: A systematic literature search was conducted in Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Library in July 2017, to identify all studies on LVA for the treatment of BCRL. The primary outcome was limb volume or circumference reduction and the secondary outcome was the improvement of quality of life. The search yielded 686 results, of which 15 articles were included in this review. All studies reported on BCRL in terms of volume or circumference reduction. Thirteen out of the included studies reported a positive surgical effect on reduction in volume or circumference. Twelve articles mentioned qualitative measures, being symptom improvement and improvement in quality of life. The number of patients who experienced symptoms relief ranged from 50% to 100% in the studies. Conclusions: The current review showed that the effects of LVA for the treatment of BCRL are variable among studies, although overall LVA seems effective in early stage BCRL. Higher quality studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness of LVA.

AB - Background: Lymphedema affects approximate to 15% of all patients after breast cancer treatment. The aim of this review was to assess the clinical effects (improvement in arm circumference and quality of life) of lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA) in treating breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL). Methods and Results: A systematic literature search was conducted in Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Library in July 2017, to identify all studies on LVA for the treatment of BCRL. The primary outcome was limb volume or circumference reduction and the secondary outcome was the improvement of quality of life. The search yielded 686 results, of which 15 articles were included in this review. All studies reported on BCRL in terms of volume or circumference reduction. Thirteen out of the included studies reported a positive surgical effect on reduction in volume or circumference. Twelve articles mentioned qualitative measures, being symptom improvement and improvement in quality of life. The number of patients who experienced symptoms relief ranged from 50% to 100% in the studies. Conclusions: The current review showed that the effects of LVA for the treatment of BCRL are variable among studies, although overall LVA seems effective in early stage BCRL. Higher quality studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness of LVA.

KW - literature review

KW - lymphaticovenous anastomosis

KW - surgical treatment

KW - lymphaticovenous bypass

KW - EXTREMITY-LYMPHEDEMA

KW - SURGICAL TREATMENTS

KW - VENOUS ANASTOMOSIS

KW - UPPER-LIMB

KW - FOLLOW-UP

KW - BYPASS

KW - MANAGEMENT

KW - EFFICACY

KW - LVA

U2 - 10.1089/lrb.2017.0067

DO - 10.1089/lrb.2017.0067

M3 - (Systematic) Review article

C2 - 29356596

SN - 1539-6851

VL - 16

SP - 426

EP - 434

JO - Lymphatic Research and Biology

JF - Lymphatic Research and Biology

IS - 5

ER -