Prevalência de linfedema em mulheres submetidas a tratamento para o câncer de mama em instituição de referência no município de Juiz de Fora/MG

Abstract

Introduction: Breast cancer is the second leading cause of morbidity and mortality among women. Its treatment depends on diagnosis and tumor staging, most of which are diagnosed late. Patients are subjected to more aggressive therapies, which lead to further complications. Among the various sequelae of breast cancer treatment, lymphedema stands out. It is a morbidity that negatively affects quality of life, producing emotional, psychological, and functional disorders. The municipality of Juiz de Fora is recognized as a leading hub for oncology care, however, the prevalence of this condition is not well understood. Objective: To estimate the prevalence of lymphedema and associated factors in women treated for breast cancer in the municipality of Juiz de Fora. Methods: After performing a cross-sectional study that evaluated 250 women with over six months of treatment for breast cancer, who came for a follow-up visit to the mastology and oncology outpatient clinic at an oncology referral center in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, data was collected from medical records, interviews, and physical assessments. Lymphedema was diagnosed when the perimetry difference between the upper limbs was greater than or equal to 2cm. The descriptive measurements were obtained using a significance level of 95%. Results: Prevalence was found to be 44.8% (112 women) with a median age of 50 years. Variables such as presence of seroma, vascular changes, post-operative elapsed time, episodes of redness in the limb, and cuticle removal from the hand with pliers were considered as major risk factors (0.001; 0.081; 0.039; 0.001; 0.013; respectively). Conclusion: The association between lymphedema and certain posttreatment daily-life habits, time elapsed after surgery, and inflammatory episodes in the upper limb ipsilateral to surgery requires an interdisciplinary approach to this condition.