IMPACT OF LYMPHEDEMA AND ARM SYMPTOMS ON QUALITY OF LIFE IN BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS

Abstract

Lymphedema is one of many armproblems reported by breast cancer survivors.Understanding the impact of lymphedema onquality of life requires consideration that armsymptoms may occur with or withoutlymphedema. It was hypothesized that specificarm symptoms and pain, related or unrelatedto lymphedema, would be more associatedwith quality of life outcomes than armswelling. The relation of arm swelling and ofarm symptoms and associated severity with arange of quality of life outcomes followingbreast cancer treatment was assessed in adiverse sample of 295 women, 141 of whomhad a clinical diagnosis of lymphedema. Armswelling (as defined by interlimb volume orcircumference differences) and lymphedemaseverity (defined by Common ToxicityCriteria) were less correlated with quality oflife than total number of arm symptoms andspecific individual symptoms. Pain in theaffected arm correlated with poor quality oflife outcomes, regardless of arm swelling.When evaluating the impact of lymphedemaon quality of life, arm swelling may not be asimportant as the total number and specifictypes of arm symptoms present, as these maybe more informative about quality of lifeoutcomes in survivors of breast cancer withand without lymphedema.