Ann Rehabil Med.  2015 Aug;39(4):609-615. 10.5535/arm.2015.39.4.609.

A Survey of the Status of Awareness of Lymphedema in Breast Cancer Patients in Busan-Gyeongnam, Korea

• Choi JK
• Kim HD
• Sim YJ
• Kim GC
• Kim DK
• Yu BC
• Park SS
• Jeong HJ

• KMID: 2148232
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5535/arm.2015.39.4.609

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To support the establishment of lymphedema education plans and the actual practice of education by investigating the current lymphedema awareness status of Korean breast cancer patients.
METHODS
cross-sectional population survey was conducted in 116 breast cancer patients in the Busan-Gyeongnam area. The survey included questions regarding demographic characteristics, breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) risk factors, and characteristics and treatments of the disease. Some of the items were scored to determine the level of awareness. The items that affect the awareness of lymphedema were investigated by statistical analysis.
RESULTS
Eighty-one of the 116 patients answered that they had heard of lymphedema, and 30 of them (25.86%) had received explanations about the possibility of lymphedema before surgery. Only 20 patients (17.25%) knew that lymphedema is not a completely curable disease, 24 patients (20.68%) thought that lymphedema does not require any treatment, and only 56 patients (48.27%) knew that lymphedema is treated in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine. The main factors that affected patients' awareness of lymphedema were their age, chemotherapy, duration of breast cancer, and lymphedema treatment history.
CONCLUSION
The majority of survey participants who were breast cancer patients either lacked awareness of BCRL or had false ideas about it, indicating the inadequate level of education provided for lymphedema. In the case of breast cancer diagnosis, early and continuous education for future management is essential, and the framework for the provision of education including education protocols related to age, disease duration, and lymphedema treatment is needed.

Keyword

Lymphedema; Breast neoplasms; Education

MeSH Terms

Breast Neoplasms*
Breast*
Drug Therapy
Early Diagnosis
Education
Humans
Korea*
Lymphedema*
Rehabilitation
Risk Factors

Reference

1. Jeong HJ, Eom MS, Choi SB, Kim DS, Kang KM. Risk factors for developing upper limb lymphedema following breast cancer surgery. J Korean Acad Rehabil Med. 2008; 32:95–99.

2. Jeong HJ, Kim GC, Roh KH, Shin DH, Lee CH. The risk factors of lymphedema after breast cancer surgery. J Korean Acad Rehabil Med. 2002; 26:475–479.

3. Clark B, Sitzia J, Harlow W. Incidence and risk of arm oedema following treatment for breast cancer: a three-year follow-up study. QJM. 2005; 98:343–348. PMID: 15820971.

4. McLaughlin SA, Bagaria S, Gibson T, Arnold M, Diehl N, Crook J, et al. Trends in risk reduction practices for the prevention of lymphedema in the first 12 months after breast cancer surgery. J Am Coll Surg. 2013; 216:380–389. PMID: 23266421.

5. Park JE, Jang HJ, Seo KS. Quality of life, upper extremity function and the effect of lymphedema treatment in breast cancer related lymphedema patients. Ann Rehabil Med. 2012; 36:240–247. PMID: 22639749.

6. Kocak Z, Overgaard J. Risk factors of arm lymphedema in breast cancer patients. Acta Oncol. 2000; 39:389–392. PMID: 10987236.

7. Soran A, D'Angelo G, Begovic M, Ardic F, Harlak A, Samuel Wieand H, et al. Breast cancer-related lymphedema: what are the significant predictors and how they affect the severity of lymphedema? Breast J. 2006; 12:536–543. PMID: 17238983.

8. Woods M. Patients' perceptions of breast-cancer-related lymphoedema. Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 1993; 2:125–128.

9. Morgan PA, Franks PJ, Moffatt CJ. Health-related quality of life with lymphoedema: a review of the literature. Int Wound J. 2005; 2:47–62. PMID: 16722853.

10. Bosompra K, Ashikaga T, O'Brien PJ, Nelson L, Skelly J, Beatty DJ. Knowledge about preventing and managing lymphedema: a survey of recently diagnosed and treated breast cancer patients. Patient Educ Couns. 2002; 47:155–163. PMID: 12191539.

11. Sherman KA, Koelmeyer L. Psychosocial predictors of adherence to lymphedema risk minimization guidelines among women with breast cancer. Psychooncology. 2013; 22:1120–1126. PMID: 22689156.

12. Sherman KA, Koelmeyer L. The role of information sources and objective risk status on lymphedema riskminimization behaviors in women recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2011; 38:E27–E36. PMID: 21186149.

13. Fu MR, Chen CM, Haber J, Guth AA, Axelrod D. The effect of providing information about lymphedema on the cognitive and symptom outcomes of breast cancer survivors. Ann Surg Oncol. 2010; 17:1847–1853. PMID: 20140528.

14. Kwan ML, Shen L, Munneke JR, Tam EK, Partee PN, Andre M, et al. Patient awareness and knowledge of breast cancer-related lymphedema in a large, integrated health care delivery system. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2012; 135:591–602. PMID: 22903688.

15. Tobin MB, Lacey HJ, Meyer L, Mortimer PS. The psychological morbidity of breast cancer-related arm swelling: psychological morbidity of lymphoedema. Cancer. 1993; 72:3248–3252. PMID: 8242549.

16. Maunsell E, Brisson J, Deschenes L. Arm problems and psychological distress after surgery for breast cancer. Can J Surg. 1993; 36:315–320. PMID: 8370012.

17. Sneeuw KC, Aaronson NK, Yarnold JR, Broderick M, Regan J, Ross G, et al. Cosmetic and functional outcomes of breast conserving treatment for early stage breast cancer. 2. Relationship with psychosocial functioning. Radiother Oncol. 1992; 25:160–166. PMID: 1470692.

18. Passik S, Newman M, Brennan M, Holland J. Psychiatric consultation for women undergoing rehabilitation for upper-extremity lymphedema following breast cancer treatment. J Pain Symptom Manage. 1993; 8:226–233. PMID: 7963764.

19. Morrell RM, Halyard MY, Schild SE, Ali MS, Gunderson LL, Pockaj BA. Breast cancer-related lymphedema. Mayo Clin Proc. 2005; 80:1480–1484. PMID: 16295027.