title: Bioelectrical impedance for detecting and monitoring lymphedema in patients with breast cancer. Preliminary results of the florence nightingale breast study group.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of bioimpedance spectroscopy for the follow-up of patients with lymphedema in Turkey and its benefits in the diagnosis of stage 0, 1, and 2 lymphedema in patients who are under treatment for breast cancer. Thirty-seven female patients with breast cancer who underwent surgical procedures in our Breast Health Centre were followed up for lymphedema using bioimpedance, and clinical measurements were taken for a minimum period of 1 year at 3-month intervals. Patients who had been monitored regularly between November, 2011, and September, 2013, were enrolled to the study. In total, 8 patients developed lymphedema with an overall rate of 21.6%. Among the 8 patients who developed lymphedema, 4 had Stage 2, 1 had Stage 1, and 3 had Stage 0 lymphedema. Stage 0 lymphedema could not be detected with clinical measurements. During the patients' 1-year follow-up period using measurements of bioimpedance, a statistically significant relationship was observed between the occurrence of lymphedema and the disease characteristics. including the number of the extracted and remaining lymph nodes and the region of radiotherapy (p=0.042, p=0.024, p=0.040). Bioimpedance analysis seems to be a practical and reliable method for the early diagnosis of lymphedema. It is believed that regular monitoring of patients in the high-risk group using bioimpedance analyses increases the ability to treat lymphedema.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation and 4Medical Oncology, Istanbul Bilim University , Istanbul, Turkey .
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Erdogan Iyigun
authors.forename: Derya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Selamoglu
authors.forename: Gul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alco
authors.forename: Kezban Nur
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Pilancı
authors.forename: Cetin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ordu
authors.forename: Filiz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Agacayak
authors.forename: Filiz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Elbüken
authors.forename: Atilla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bozdogan
authors.forename: Serkan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ilgun
authors.forename: Fusun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guler Uysal
authors.forename: Vahit
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ozmen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D058266:Dielectric Spectroscopy; D017097:Electric Impedance; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008209:Lymphedema / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging