Sensory signs and symptoms in women with self-reported breast cancer–related lymphedema: a case–control study close up

Abstract

Purpose: It is not clear to what extent signs and symptoms other than arm swelling, including pain, altered sensory function and body perception disturbances, differ between women with measurable and non-measurable breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL). A case-control study was performed to compare these signs and symptoms between 1) women with self-reported BCRL with objectively measurable swelling; 2) women with self-reported BCRL without objective confirmation; and 3) a control group with no self-reported BCRL. Methods:The three groups were compared for 1) the severity of self-reported signs and symptoms of BCRL, 2) problems in functioning related to BCRL, 3) pain-related outcomes, 4) sensory functions and 5) body perception.Results: All self-reported outcomes related to signs and symptoms of BCRL and problems in functioning were significantly different between the control group and the other two groups with and without measurable self-reported BCRL (p<0.001-0.003). Except for 'skin texture' (p=0.01), 'hand swelling' (p=0.301) and 'difficulty writing' (p=0.676), no differences were found between groups. For painrelated outcomes, sensory function and body perception, significant differences were only found for the mechanical detection threshold (p<0.01) and self-reported disturbances in body perception (p<0.001) between the self-reported BCRL groups and control group. Conclusions:Diverse signs and symptoms related to BCRL, sensory function and perception were different among women with self-reported BCRL compared to controls. No differences between women with and without measurable self-reported BCRL were found. Implications:The presence of self-reported BCRL, with or without measurable swelling, is a first indication for the need of further diagnostic evaluation.

Upper Limb Symptoms in Breast Cancer Survivors with Lymphedema: A Latent Class Analysis and Network Analysis

“…Individuals with BCRL report a wide range of symptoms, including swelling, heaviness or tightness, pain or discomfort, numbness or tingling sensations, reduced range of motion, skin changes (e.g., thickening or discoloration), and impaired function in performing daily activities in the affected limb. [9][10][11] These symptoms can vary in severity and may not be experienced by every individual with lymphedema. Early recognition and management of these symptoms are essential for minimizing their impact on quality of life and for preventing complications associated with the condition.…”

“…Early recognition and management of these symptoms are essential for minimizing their impact on quality of life and for preventing complications associated with the condition. [8,12] The majority of current literature focuses primarily on identifying upper limb symptoms associated with BCRL, [10] and on identifying factors contributing to the development of BCRL, [13,14] , [9] leaving a gap in understanding the complex lymphedema symptomatology. To address this gap, latent class analysis (LCA) and network analysis offer promising approaches to identify distinct symptom patterns and symptom interrelationships within the BCRL population.…”

Digital and Interactive Health Interventions Minimize the Physical and Psychological Impact of Breast Cancer, Increasing Women’s Quality of Life: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…Recent studies have shown both central sensitization patterns that produce changes in pain sensitivity stimulus [ 11 ] and rotator cuff damage in the shoulder and neck area in women who survived BC after post-mastectomy surgery [ 12 ]. BC-related lymphedema is a sensorimotor disabling sign that is accompanied by pain, upper extremity motor disorders [ 13 , 14 ], and skin alterations [ 15 ]; it appears in 14–54% of survivors (almost one in five BC survivors) after axillary surgery or irradiation [ 16 , 17 ].…”