Lymphatic compensation during the postoperative period after breast cancer treatment with axillary dissection

Autor: Mariana Maia Freire de Oliveira, Maria Teresa Pace do Amaral, Maria Salete Costa Gurgel
Jazyk: English<br />Portuguese
Rok vydání: 2015
Předmět:
Zdroj: Jornal Vascular Brasileiro, Vol 14, Iss 2, Pp 161-167 (2015)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1677-7301
1677-5449
DOI: 10.1590/1677-5449.0040
Popis: Lymphedema secondary to breast cancer causes physical and psychological morbidity and compromises quality of life. The objective of this literature review was to study lymphatic compensation after surgery for breast cancer and the factors that influence this process, with a view to understanding the etiopathogenesis of lymphedema. Articles indexed on Pubmed published from 1985 to 2012 were reviewed. According to the literature, lymphangiogenesis reduces damage to lymph vessels; there is little evidence that Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor is elevated in women with lymphedema; lymphovenous communications can be observed 60 days after surgery; women without lymphedema have acquired alternative mechanisms for removal of proteins from the interstitial space; and active exercise stimulates lymphatic and venous pumping. Health professionals should teach these patients about the risk factors for lymphedema. The effects of lymphangiogenesis, proteolysis and lymphovenous communications on development of lymphedema should be studied, since these events are intimately related.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals