Research Purpose:
With the advancement of modern treatments, survival rates have increased in breast cancer. This raises the importance of survivorship issues, among which quality of life after surgery for breast cancer. Lymphedema (swelling due to lymph fluid buildup in the body, usually in the arm or leg) can affect up to 20-30% of patients after ALND. An emerging method to mitigate the risk of lymphedema is ILR. The procedure consists of identifying lymphatic channels from the arm during an ALND and reconnecting them with the venous system. This is a multidisciplinary endeavor that brings together patients, nurses, allied health professionals, plastic surgeons and surgical oncologists, with the shared goal of improved survivorship.
What is Involved:
If you agree to take part in this study, you will be asked to complete quality-of-life questionnaires and undergo circumferential arm measurements. The questionnaires can be completed online through a secure web-based platform called REDCap. Circumferential arm measurements involve the use of a tape measure to measure the circumference of different points along the arm to track any swelling or size changes. Physical measurements will be collected by the surgeon and/or physiotherapist at the UBC Lymphedema clinic. Measurements will take around 15-20 minutes in total and will be collected pre-operatively and at 3, 6, 9, 15, and 24-months post-operation.
Who is Eligible:
- Aged 19 or over
- Are undergoing ALND with or without ILR surgery
Interested in being involved:
If you are interested in participating, please fill out the form on the Get Involved Page, or if you have further questions, feel free to email our research team at research.plastics@ubc.ca