@article{article_1792069, title={Outcomes of complete decongestive therapy in breast cancer-related lymphedema and determinants of treatment success}, journal={Journal of Medicine and Palliative Care}, volume={6}, pages={588–596}, year={2025}, author={Akın, Türkan and Akın, Mustafa and Küçük, Ali İmran and Aydın Uzungöz, Nurhayat}, keywords={meme kanseri ilişkili lenfödem, komplet dekonjestif tedavi, yaşam kalitesi, ekstremite hacimi, lenfosintigrafi}, abstract={Aims: We aimed to evaluate the outcomes of complete decongestive therapy (CDT) among patients suffering from breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) in the aspect of decrement of extremity volume and increment of functional status of upper extremity as well as patients’ quality of life (QoL). Methods: Retrospectively designed trial consists of forty women with BCRL who had received CDT phase-1. Staging was performed according to International society of lymphology (ISL) recommendations and lymphoscintigraphy both. All of the patients had received total of fifteen sessions, five sessions per week, for three weeks long, phase-one CDT which includes manual lymphatic drainage, multilayered compression bandage application, supervised exercise and skin care components. Outcome measures included extremity volumes calculated via frustum method based on circumferential measurements, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Upper Extremity Functional Index-15 (UEFI-15), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire (EORTC-QLQ-C30). Assessments were performed at the beginning of the CDT and at the end of three weeks so as to be compared. Additionally features could have impact on treatment success were questioned. Results: Sample size of forty BCRL suffering women had mean age of 56.38±10.37. They had all significant reduction in edematous limb and gain in functional scores, decrement in fatigue and pain conditions. Some clinical and demographical properties showed differences in success of treatment. Conclusion: Along with contribution to the efficiency of CDT in management of BCRL the article represents roles of known risk factors on the success of treatment. While changes in volume measurements did not differ among groups based on clinical and demographical features, some items of QoL and functionality scales were different. Results thought the necessity of multidisciplinary management of BCRL in the aspects of comorbid diseases, medications, life style habits, social, financial and psychological status of the patients should be subjects.}, number={5}, publisher={MediHealth Academy Yayıncılık}