To investigate the impact of chemotherapy on the risk of breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), focusing on different regimens, treatment duration (number of cycles), and timing.
Key Findings:
BCRL occurred in 31 patients (15.4%).
Significant associations with BCRL were found for tumor stage, axillary lymph node dissection, sentinel lymph node biopsy, chemotherapy, and regional nodal irradiation (P<0.05).
Taxane-based regimens (OR = 4.018, 95% CI: 1.162–13.890), long-course chemotherapy (OR = 4.887, 95% CI: 1.396–17.116), and combined neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy (OR = 4.50, 95% CI: 1.14–17.762) were significantly associated with BCRL.
Interpretation:
Chemotherapy, particularly taxane-based regimens and prolonged treatment, is associated with an increased risk of BCRL, indicating the need for careful monitoring and potential early interventions in clinical practice.
Limitations:
Retrospective design may introduce selection bias, affecting the reliability of findings.
Single-center study limits generalizability of results.
Potential confounding factors not fully controlled may impact the conclusions drawn.
Conclusion:
Chemotherapy is linked to BCRL, particularly with specific regimens, emphasizing the importance of monitoring patients receiving these therapies to facilitate early intervention.
