“Black women with lymphedema were also more likely to have a higher BMI [body mass index], a known risk factor for developing lymphedema. There very well may also be a genetic component but more study needs to be directed to the root causes of the problem,” she adds.
The type of treatment seemed to make a difference. Women who had received neoadjuvant chemotherapy — chemo before surgery — and then lymph node removal were twice as likely to develop lymphedema as their counterparts who had upfront surgery followed by axillary lymph node dissection, the study found.
Barrio said other research has proven that Black women are often diagnosed with later-stage breast cancer. They are thus more likely to need axillary surgery that can increase the risk for lymphedema. Still, the Black race was the strongest predictor of lymphedema development.
Other factors associated with a higher risk of lymphedema were older age and increasing time from surgery.
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Symptoms
The symptoms of lymphedema may include:
- Your arm, leg, or another part of your body has a little swelling at first, but gets bigger over time.
- The skin in that area feels tight, and sometimes has a tingling sensation.
- The arm or leg with lymphedema feels heavy.
- Clothing and jewelry fit more tightly on the affected area.
- The skin looks thicker or leathery.
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Prevention
If you notice any swelling after cancer treatment, talk to your doctor about what is causing it and how best to treat it. You should also ensure that there are no other causes of the swelling that may need immediate treatment such as a blood clot.
Treatment
Lymphedema can be treated in the following ways:
