title: Quality of life of women with lower limb swelling or lymphedema 3-5 years following endometrial cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantitatively assess and compare the quality of life (QoL) of women with a self-reported diagnosis of lower limb lymphedema (LLL), to women with lower limb swelling (LLS), and to women without LLL or LLS following treatment for endometrial cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  1399 participants in the Australian National Endometrial Cancer Study were sent a follow-up questionnaire 3-5 years after diagnosis. Women were asked if they had experienced swelling in the lower limbs and, if so, whether they had received a diagnosis of lymphedema by a health professional. The 639 women who responded were categorized as: Women with LLL (n=68), women with LLS (n=177) and women without LLL or LLS (n=394). Multivariable-adjusted generalized linear models were used to compare women's physical and mental QoL by LLL status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On average, women were 65 years of age and 4 years after diagnosis. Women with LLL had clinically lower physical QoL (M=41.8, SE=1.4) than women without LLL or LLS (M=45.1, SE=0.8, p=.07), however, their mental QoL was within the normative range (M=49.6; SE=1.1 p=1.0). Women with LLS had significantly lower physical (M=41.0, SE=1.0, p=.003) and mental QoL (M=46.8; SE=0.8, p<.0001) than women without LLL or LLS (Mental QoL: M=50.6, SE=0.8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although LLL was associated with reductions in physical QoL, LLS was related to reductions in both physical and mental QoL 3-5 years after cancer treatment. Early referral to evidence-based lymphedema programs may prevent long-term impairments to women's QoL.
authors.affiliation: Gynaecological Cancers Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. Electronic address: Ingrid.Rowlands@qimrberghofer.edu.au.
authors.forename: Ingrid J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Rowlands
authors.affiliation: Gynaecological Cancers Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Vanessa L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Beesley
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Social Work, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Janda
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Social Work, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Sandra C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.affiliation: Queensland Centre for Gynaecological Cancer, c/o Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia; School of Medicine, Central Clinical Division, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Obermair
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Quinn
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecological Oncology, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.affiliation: School of Women's and Infants' Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Yee
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.affiliation: Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Lesley
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McQuire
authors.affiliation: Gynaecological Cancers Group, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
authors.forename: Penelope M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Webb
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004487:Edema / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D016014:Linear Models; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Endometrial cancer; Lower-limb swelling; Lymphedema; Quality of life