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

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A Correction to this article was published on 30 October 2021

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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 pain-related 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 for Cancer Survivors

The presence of self-reported BCRL, with or without measurable swelling, is a first indication for the need of further diagnostic evaluation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    An De Groef, Nele Devoogdt, Victoria Warpy, Jolien Daelemans, Lore Dams, Vincent Haenen, Elien Van der Gucht, An-Kathleen Heroes & Tessa De Vrieze

  2. Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

    An De Groef, Lore Dams, Vincent Haenen, Elien Van der Gucht & Tessa De Vrieze

  3. Pain in Motion International Research Group, Brussel, Belgium

    An De Groef, Lore Dams, Vincent Haenen & Elien Van der Gucht

  4. Department of Vascular Surgery and Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Centre for Lymphedema, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Nele Devoogdt & An-Kathleen Heroes

  5. Faculty of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey

    Ceren Gursen

  6. Department of Health Professions, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Niamh Moloney

  7. THRIVE Physiotherapy, Channel Islands, Guernsey, United Kingdom

    Niamh Moloney

  8. Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Lidcombe, NSW, Australia

    Elizabeth Dylke

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  1. An De Groef
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Correspondence to An De Groef.

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De Groef, A., Devoogdt, N., Gursen, C. et al. Sensory signs and symptoms in women with self-reported breast cancer–related lymphedema: a case–control study close up. J Cancer Surviv 16, 1096–1106 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-021-01100-z

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