Efecto de terapia descongestiva compleja en linfedema secundario al tratamiento quirúrgico y calidad de vida en mujeres con cáncer de mama

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Lymphedema (LE) is characterized by abnormal increase of interstitial liquid. It can be secondary to breast cancer treatment, affecting patients’ life quality (LQ). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of complex decongestive therapy (CDT) with manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) in women with breast cancer from secondary LE to modified radical mastectomy (MRM) on the volume of the affected extremity and the perception of LQ. METHOD: Breast cancer women with post-surgery secondary LE treated with 5 sessions of CDT every day. Previous to each session, 7 circumferences of the affected extremity were measured with LE to obtain the volume with Kuhnke formula. Besides, the EORTC QLQ-C30 (life quality) was applied before the CDT and after. Scores of EORTC QLQ-C30 and the average volume of affected extremities by LE before and after the CDT were compared. RESULTS: The average volume of extremities with LE decreased significantly (p<0.0005), 15.5 % after 5 sessions of CDT. Also the perception of LQ and some other symptoms improved significantly with p<0.05. CONCLUSION: CDT in LE decreases the volume of the affected extremity and improves the perception of LQ. MLD is a tool that improves health condition integrally in women with breast cancer and secondary LE to MRM.