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NEW ORLEANS – Leg lymphedema occurred in 19%-40% of women with a gynecologic cancer who underwent surgery with lymphadenectomy in a prospective study of 821 U.S. patients.
The incidence of lymphedema of the lower extremity (LLE) during 2 years of follow-up was 18% among 672 endometrial cancer patients, 25% among 124 cervical cancer patients, and 40% among 24 vulvar cancer patients, Jay W. Carlson, DO, said at the annual meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology.
Although the study followed patients for 2 years after surgery, 84% of the LLE events occurred within the first 6 months after surgery, and 95% within the first 12 months. The robust incidence rates documented in this study contrasted with a general perception that LLE is relatively uncommon, leading Dr. Carlson to note that the new data show “the incidence of LLE is under recognized.” The findings also bucked conventional wisdom by showing no link between the incidence of LLE and number of lymph nodes dissected or with use of radiation treatment, said Dr. Carlson, a gynecologic oncologist at Mercy Clinic Women’s Oncology in Springfield, Mo.
To better define the incidence of LLE after lymphadenectomy for gynecologic cancers, the Gynecologic Oncology Group organized the Lymphedema and Gynecologic Cancer (LEG) study, run at more than 70 U.S. centers during June 2012–November 2014. The study enrolled patients scheduled for surgery to treat endometrial, cervical, or vulvar cancer, and applied systematic leg measurement to patients just before and at several prespecified times following surgery through 2 years of follow-up.
The study began with a total of 1,054 patients, but the final analysis that Dr. Carlson presented excluded patients who did not actually undergo lymphadenectomy during their surgery, did not have leg volume data available both before and after their surgery, or had a comorbidity or change in body mass that could have caused the change in leg size. The researchers also required patients identified with LLE to have completed the Gynecologic Cancer Lymphedema Questionnaire (Gynecol Oncol. 2010 May;117[2]:317-23) and tallied a score of at least 4, and to have at least a 10% increase in leg volume at the time of diagnosis, compared with the presurgical volume.
The exclusions yielded a total of 672 patients with endometrial cancer, including 127 who developed LLE (19%); 124 patients with cervical cancer, including 31 who developed LLE (25%); and 25 patients with vulvar cancer, including 10 who developed LLE (40%), Dr. Carlson reported.
Analysis of the patients who developed LLE showed no significant association with type of surgery (open, robotic, or laparoscopic), and no significant associations with several patient-specific factors including age, race, cancer stage, surgical blood loss, or serum albumin, he said.
[email protected]
On Twitter @mitchelzoler
SOURCE: Carlson J et al. SGO 2018, Abstract 11.
NEW ORLEANS – Leg lymphedema occurred in 19%-40% of women with a gynecologic cancer who underwent surgery with lymphadenectomy in a prospective study of 821 U.S. patients.
The incidence of lymphedema of the lower extremity (LLE) during 2 years of follow-up was 18% among 672 endometrial cancer patients, 25% among 124 cervical cancer patients, and 40% among 24 vulvar cancer patients, Jay W. Carlson, DO, said at the annual meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology.
Although the study followed patients for 2 years after surgery, 84% of the LLE events occurred within the first 6 months after surgery, and 95% within the first 12 months. The robust incidence rates documented in this study contrasted with a general perception that LLE is relatively uncommon, leading Dr. Carlson to note that the new data show “the incidence of LLE is under recognized.” The findings also bucked conventional wisdom by showing no link between the incidence of LLE and number of lymph nodes dissected or with use of radiation treatment, said Dr. Carlson, a gynecologic oncologist at Mercy Clinic Women’s Oncology in Springfield, Mo.
To better define the incidence of LLE after lymphadenectomy for gynecologic cancers, the Gynecologic Oncology Group organized the Lymphedema and Gynecologic Cancer (LEG) study, run at more than 70 U.S. centers during June 2012–November 2014. The study enrolled patients scheduled for surgery to treat endometrial, cervical, or vulvar cancer, and applied systematic leg measurement to patients just before and at several prespecified times following surgery through 2 years of follow-up.
The study began with a total of 1,054 patients, but the final analysis that Dr. Carlson presented excluded patients who did not actually undergo lymphadenectomy during their surgery, did not have leg volume data available both before and after their surgery, or had a comorbidity or change in body mass that could have caused the change in leg size. The researchers also required patients identified with LLE to have completed the Gynecologic Cancer Lymphedema Questionnaire (Gynecol Oncol. 2010 May;117[2]:317-23) and tallied a score of at least 4, and to have at least a 10% increase in leg volume at the time of diagnosis, compared with the presurgical volume.
The exclusions yielded a total of 672 patients with endometrial cancer, including 127 who developed LLE (19%); 124 patients with cervical cancer, including 31 who developed LLE (25%); and 25 patients with vulvar cancer, including 10 who developed LLE (40%), Dr. Carlson reported.
Analysis of the patients who developed LLE showed no significant association with type of surgery (open, robotic, or laparoscopic), and no significant associations with several patient-specific factors including age, race, cancer stage, surgical blood loss, or serum albumin, he said.
[email protected]
On Twitter @mitchelzoler
SOURCE: Carlson J et al. SGO 2018, Abstract 11.
NEW ORLEANS – Leg lymphedema occurred in 19%-40% of women with a gynecologic cancer who underwent surgery with lymphadenectomy in a prospective study of 821 U.S. patients.
The incidence of lymphedema of the lower extremity (LLE) during 2 years of follow-up was 18% among 672 endometrial cancer patients, 25% among 124 cervical cancer patients, and 40% among 24 vulvar cancer patients, Jay W. Carlson, DO, said at the annual meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology.
Although the study followed patients for 2 years after surgery, 84% of the LLE events occurred within the first 6 months after surgery, and 95% within the first 12 months. The robust incidence rates documented in this study contrasted with a general perception that LLE is relatively uncommon, leading Dr. Carlson to note that the new data show “the incidence of LLE is under recognized.” The findings also bucked conventional wisdom by showing no link between the incidence of LLE and number of lymph nodes dissected or with use of radiation treatment, said Dr. Carlson, a gynecologic oncologist at Mercy Clinic Women’s Oncology in Springfield, Mo.
To better define the incidence of LLE after lymphadenectomy for gynecologic cancers, the Gynecologic Oncology Group organized the Lymphedema and Gynecologic Cancer (LEG) study, run at more than 70 U.S. centers during June 2012–November 2014. The study enrolled patients scheduled for surgery to treat endometrial, cervical, or vulvar cancer, and applied systematic leg measurement to patients just before and at several prespecified times following surgery through 2 years of follow-up.
The study began with a total of 1,054 patients, but the final analysis that Dr. Carlson presented excluded patients who did not actually undergo lymphadenectomy during their surgery, did not have leg volume data available both before and after their surgery, or had a comorbidity or change in body mass that could have caused the change in leg size. The researchers also required patients identified with LLE to have completed the Gynecologic Cancer Lymphedema Questionnaire (Gynecol Oncol. 2010 May;117[2]:317-23) and tallied a score of at least 4, and to have at least a 10% increase in leg volume at the time of diagnosis, compared with the presurgical volume.
The exclusions yielded a total of 672 patients with endometrial cancer, including 127 who developed LLE (19%); 124 patients with cervical cancer, including 31 who developed LLE (25%); and 25 patients with vulvar cancer, including 10 who developed LLE (40%), Dr. Carlson reported.
Analysis of the patients who developed LLE showed no significant association with type of surgery (open, robotic, or laparoscopic), and no significant associations with several patient-specific factors including age, race, cancer stage, surgical blood loss, or serum albumin, he said.
[email protected]
On Twitter @mitchelzoler
SOURCE: Carlson J et al. SGO 2018, Abstract 11.
REPORTING FROM SGO 2018
Key clinical point: Leg lymphedema is common following lymphadenectomy for a gynecologic cancer.
Major finding: Leg lymphedema incidence was 19%-40% during 2-year follow-up after lymphadenectomy during gynecologic cancer surgery.
Study details: LEG, a multicenter, U.S. prospective study with 821 gynecologic cancer patients in the final analysis.
Disclosures: LEG had no commercial funding. Dr. Carlson had no disclosures.
Source: Carlson J et al. SGO 2018, Abstract 11.