Prediction of Treatment Outcome with Bioimpedance Measurements in Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema Patients

Abstract

ObjectiveTo investigate the usefulness of bioimpedance measurement for predicting the treatment outcome in breast cancer related lymphedema (BCRL) patients.MethodUnilateral BCRL patients who received complex decongestive therapy (CDT) for 2 weeks (5 days per week) were enrolled in this study. We measured the ratio of extracellular fluid (ECF) volume by using bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy (BIS), and single frequency bioimpedance analysis (SFBIA) at a 5 kHz frequency before treatment. Arm circumferences were measured at 10 cm above and below the elbow before and after treatment. We also investigated whether there is correlation between ECF ratio and SFBIA ratio with the change of arm circumference after CDT.ResultsA total of 73 patients were enrolled in this study. The higher ECF ratio was significantly correlated with higher reduction of arm circumference at both above and below the elbow after treatment, but the higher SFBIA ratio was correlated only with the higher reduction of arm circumference below the elbow.ConclusionThese results show that ECF volume measurements and SFBIA before treatment are useful tools for predicting the outcome of patients with lymphedema. We concluded that ECF volume measure can be used as a screening tool for predicting treatment outcome of BCRL patients.

Bilateral Changes in Deep Tissue Environment After Manual Lymphatic Drainage in Patients with Breast Cancer Treatment-Related Lymphedema

“…30,31 BIS has been used to investigate its potential to identify early signs of lymphedema before overt edema is detected and before the early symptoms of arm heaviness and generalized ache. 32,33 As noted in the literature, our findings show that BIS can detect BCRL presence, yet is not sensitive as implemented to changes immediately following MLD.…”

Assessment of Risk Factors in Patients who presented to the Outpatient Clinic for Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema

“…In the literature, the prevalence of lymphedema following axillary lymphadenectomy and axillary radiotherapy is reported as approximately 30%, although varying between 24% and 49%. The difference in rates are related to the extent of axillary surgery and radiotherapy, different assessment methods, lack of standardization in diagnostic criteria, and differences in postoperative follow-up periods (6,7,19). In our study, 40.5% of patients who presented to our clinic with breast cancer were found to have upper extremity lymphedema.…”

Bioelectrical Impedance as a Diagnostic Factor in the Clinical Practice and Prognostic Factor for Survival in Cancer Patients: Prediction, Accuracy and Reliability

“…Table 1 is a summary of BIA studies evaluating body composition including FFM, BF and BCM. On the other hand, in a prospective study the usefulness of bioimpedance measurement have been investigated for predicting the treatment outcome in breast cancer related lymphedema (BCRL) patients [42]. In this study, the ratio of extracellular fluid (ECF) volume has been investigated by using bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy (BIS), and single frequency bioimpedance analysis (SFBIA) at a 5 kHz frequency before treatment.…”