Lymphedema Awareness in Patients Underwent Breast Cancer Surgery

ABS TRACT Objective: Advances in breast cancer awareness, social attention and imaging have a positive impact on the diagnosis and screening of the disease.The increase in survival rates from breast cancer raises the need for education on patient awareness and lymphedema risk factors.Here, we aimed to analyse the lymphedema awareness in patients underwent breast cancer surgery in our center.Material and Methods: The study was planned prospectively and descriptively.The data were obtained from patients underwent breast cancer who admitted to the oncology clinic for control via questionnaire.Results: Seventyfive (n=75) female breast cancer patients between the ages of 34-77 years were included in the study.The mean body mass index (BMI) was 27.6±7.2kg/m 2 .Education levels were: no literacy n=31 (41.3%), primary school graduate n=20 (26.7%), secondary school graduate n=9 (12%), high school graduate n=10 (13.3%), postdoctoral and university n=5 (6.7%).The median duration of the diagnosis of breast cancer was 12 months (minimum: 1 month; maximum: 84 months).The presence of lymphedema in the affected arm was 16% (n=12).Twentytwo of the participants (29.3%) answered yes to the question whether you heard the word lymphedema before.The number of correct answers was median 3 (minimum: 0; maximum: 9).Conclusion: It is seen that most of our operated breast cancer patients who participated in the study do not have sufficient knowledge and awareness about the development of lymphedema in the upper extremities and possible complications.We determined that education level is the determinant of knowledge, awareness about lymphedema and possible complications.