Institution: National Cancer Institute
“Objective: To evaluate the association between axillary web syndrome and the development of lymphoedema after 10 years of follow-up. Methods: A prospective observational study in a hospital cohort of women diagnosed with breast cancer and treated at a referral centre for cancer. Patients were followed according to the routine of the hospital’s physical therapy service. In addition, a review of medical records was conducted for the period between five and ten years of follow-up. Data on patient characteristics, treatment, tumour and postoperative complications were collected. Results: In all, 964 patients were included, mostly <65 years old (75%) and classified as being overweight (68%). Disease was diagnosed as being up to stage IIA in 54.9% of the cases; 65.1% underwent mastectomy and 83.8% had total axillary dissection. As adjuvant treatment, 61% underwent chemotherapy, 63.5% radiotherapy and 68% hormone therapy. Among surgical complications, 62.6% of patients had seroma; 40.7% had necrosis; 35.9% axillary web syndrome; and 31.4% lymphoedema. There was no association between axillary web syndrome and the development of lymphoedema (OR = 0.87, 95% CI 0.65 to 1.15, p = 0.329). Conclusion: The occurrence of axillary web syndrome was not a risk factor for lymphoedema after 10 years of follow-up.Keywords: axillary web syndrome, Lymphoedema, Breast Cancer, Treatment”
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