Timing of Lymphedema Following Treatment for Breast Cancer: When Are Patients Most At-Risk?

Breast cancer treatment-associated lymphedema is a potentially devastating complication but the time-course for developing lymphedema is unknown. We conducted a prospective study of 2,171 women to determine when patients are at greatest risk for lymphedema in the context of modern surgical and radiation techniques. We observed that the time-course of lymphedema development depends on therapy received: with early-onset lymphedema associated with axillary lymph node dissection and late-onset lymphedema more associated with regional lymph node radiation.

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