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Two-year follow-up of temporal changes of breast edema after breast cancer treatment with surgery and radiation evaluated by tissue dielectric constant (TDC)

Johansson, Karin LU ; Darkeh, Mojgan Hse ; Lahtinen, Tapani ; Bjork-Eriksson, Thomas and Axelssqn, Rimma (2015) In European Journal of Lymphology and Related Problems 27(73). p.15-21
Abstract

Background: Breast edema is reported as a common complaint after breast conserving surgery and radiotherapy (RT). Measurements of local water in skin and upper subeutis with tissue dielectric constant (TDC) technique have the potential to detect breast edema in patients after breast cancer treatment. Objective: The purpose of the present study was to examine development of edema in breast, axilla and upper arm in women treated with breast conserving surgery and RT during a 2-year follow-up. Method: Sixty-five patients have been included and measured at It) time-points (before RT. three time-points during RT. 2 and 4 weeks after RT and then 3.6, 12 and 24 months after RT). Breast edema was measured by tissue water content in skin and... (More)

Background: Breast edema is reported as a common complaint after breast conserving surgery and radiotherapy (RT). Measurements of local water in skin and upper subeutis with tissue dielectric constant (TDC) technique have the potential to detect breast edema in patients after breast cancer treatment. Objective: The purpose of the present study was to examine development of edema in breast, axilla and upper arm in women treated with breast conserving surgery and RT during a 2-year follow-up. Method: Sixty-five patients have been included and measured at It) time-points (before RT. three time-points during RT. 2 and 4 weeks after RT and then 3.6, 12 and 24 months after RT). Breast edema was measured by tissue water content in skin and upper subcutis at both sides with MoistureMeterD. TDC. directly proportional to tissue water content to the effective depth of 2.5 mm. was evaluated. Definition of breast edema was determined as a TDC ratio 1.40 between Ihe treated and healthy breast. Results: The TDC measurements demonstrated breast edema already before RT. The mean TDC ratios at three weeks of RT and at 3 and 6 months post-RT were exceeding the edema threshold limit (i.e. TDC ratio l .40). The largest proportions of patients exceeding the edema threshold limit were found at three and six month post-RT (63%) and the smallest proportions at two years post-RT (28%). Concerning axillary dissection or sentinel node biopsy, no statistically significant differences were found between the groups at any of the 10 different measurement time-points. Conclusion: Cancer treatment related edema in the breast is very frequent at three to six months after RT but decreases at one to two years after RT. Differences in the surgical procedure are unlikely to change the incidence of breast edema during a two-year follow- up period.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Breast edema, Breast surgery, Radiotherapy, Tissue dielectric constant
in
European Journal of Lymphology and Related Problems
volume
27
issue
73
pages
7 pages
publisher
European Group of Lymphology
external identifiers
  • scopus:84999779353
ISSN
0778-5569
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
11bddbf6-5756-47aa-9f9b-b1b675cbfc20
date added to LUP
2016-12-29 11:22:35
date last changed
2022-04-01 05:17:21
@article{11bddbf6-5756-47aa-9f9b-b1b675cbfc20,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Breast edema is reported as a common complaint after breast conserving surgery and radiotherapy (RT). Measurements of local water in skin and upper subeutis with tissue dielectric constant (TDC) technique have the potential to detect breast edema in patients after breast cancer treatment. Objective: The purpose of the present study was to examine development of edema in breast, axilla and upper arm in women treated with breast conserving surgery and RT during a 2-year follow-up. Method: Sixty-five patients have been included and measured at It) time-points (before RT. three time-points during RT. 2 and 4 weeks after RT and then 3.6, 12 and 24 months after RT). Breast edema was measured by tissue water content in skin and upper subcutis at both sides with MoistureMeterD. TDC. directly proportional to tissue water content to the effective depth of 2.5 mm. was evaluated. Definition of breast edema was determined as a TDC ratio 1.40 between Ihe treated and healthy breast. Results: The TDC measurements demonstrated breast edema already before RT. The mean TDC ratios at three weeks of RT and at 3 and 6 months post-RT were exceeding the edema threshold limit (i.e. TDC ratio l .40). The largest proportions of patients exceeding the edema threshold limit were found at three and six month post-RT (63%) and the smallest proportions at two years post-RT (28%). Concerning axillary dissection or sentinel node biopsy, no statistically significant differences were found between the groups at any of the 10 different measurement time-points. Conclusion: Cancer treatment related edema in the breast is very frequent at three to six months after RT but decreases at one to two years after RT. Differences in the surgical procedure are unlikely to change the incidence of breast edema during a two-year follow- up period.</p>}},
  author       = {{Johansson, Karin and Darkeh, Mojgan Hse and Lahtinen, Tapani and Bjork-Eriksson, Thomas and Axelssqn, Rimma}},
  issn         = {{0778-5569}},
  keywords     = {{Breast edema; Breast surgery; Radiotherapy; Tissue dielectric constant}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{73}},
  pages        = {{15--21}},
  publisher    = {{European Group of Lymphology}},
  series       = {{European Journal of Lymphology and Related Problems}},
  title        = {{Two-year follow-up of temporal changes of breast edema after breast cancer treatment with surgery and radiation evaluated by tissue dielectric constant (TDC)}},
  volume       = {{27}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}