Background: Lymphedema of the upper extremity is a serious consequence of
breast cancer surgery. Postmastectomy lymphedema of the upper limb is
usually related to many risk factors, like axillary surgery, radiotherapy, venous
obstruction, obesity, and infection. In the current study, the objective was to
identify the relationship between the extent of lymph node involvement and
axillary dissection on the development of lymphedema.
Patients and methods: One hundred and seventy patients managed by
modified radical mastectomy with axillary dissection for mammary-invasive
adenocarcinoma between January 2009 and December 2016 in Al-Fayhaa
Teaching Hospital. The patients were divided into three groups according to
the number of lymph nodes involvd, by pathology. The patients had been
followed up for at least two years and assessed by standard lymphedema
assessment, then categorized into three groups, according to the severity of
lymphedema.
Results: After the analysis of patient parameters, the highest age group was
36–45 years. More than 60% of the patients had 4–9 lymph nodes involved.
Forty-one patients from the 170 developed lymphedema postoperatively. Forty
patients had seroma and twenty-one patients had wound infection
postoperatively.
Conclusion: Post-mastectomy lymphedema is a sequelae of disease process
related to the extent of lymph-node involvement and resection rather than
operative fault.
Key words: breast cancer, mastectomy, lymphedema.
Timing of breast cancer surgery within the menstrual cycle: Influence on lymph-node involvement, receptor status, postoperative metastatic spread and local recurrence
