| Title: | Lymphedema following cancer therapy in Slovenia : a frequently overlooked condition? |
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| Authors: | ID Planinšek Ručigaj, Tanja (Author)
ID Kecelj, Nada (Author)
ID Tlaker Žunter, Vesna (Author) |
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| Files: |  PDF - Presentation file, download (416,52 KB)
MD5: D65479C055AFE484291F85361BDD0466
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| Language: | English |
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| Typology: | 1.01 - Original Scientific Article |
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| Organization: |  OI - Institute of Oncology
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| Abstract: | Introduction. Secondary lymphedema following cancer therapy is a frequent, often painful, quality of life disturbing condition, reducing the patients' mobility and predisposing them to complications, e.g. infections and malignancies. The critical aspect of lymphedema therapy is to start as soon aspossible to prevent the irreversible tissue damage. Patients and methods. Weperformed a retrospective study of patients with lymphedema, treated at the Department of Dermatovenereology, University Medical Center Ljubljana, from January 2002 to June 2010. The patientsć demographic and medical data were collected, including type of cancer, type and stage of lymphedema, and time tofirst therapy of lymphedema. The number of referred patients with lymphedema following the therapy of melanoma, breast cancer, and uterine/cervical cancer, was compared to the number of patients expected to experience lymphedema following cancer therapy, calculated from the incidence reported in the literature. Results. In the period of 8.5 years, 543 patients (432 females, 112 males) with lymphedema were treated. The results show that probably many Slovenian patients with secondary lymphedema following cancer therapy remain unrecognized and untreated or undertreated. In the majority of our patients, the management of lymphedema was delayedč on average, the patients first received therapy for lymphedema 3.6 years after the first signsof lymphedema. Conclusions. To avoid a delay in diagnosis and therapy, and the complications of lymphedema following cancer therapy, the physician should actively look for signs or symptoms of lymphedema during the follow-up period, and promptly manage or refer the patients developing problems. |
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| Keywords: | rak (medicina), zdravljenje, limfedem |
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| Publication status: | Published |
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| Publication version: | Version of Record |
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| Publication date: | 01.12.2010 |
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| Publisher: | Association of Radiology and Oncology |
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| Year of publishing: | 2010 |
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| Number of pages: | str. 244-248, IV |
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| Numbering: | Vol. 44, no. 4 |
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| Source: | Ljubljana |
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| PID: | 20.500.12556/DiRROS-18439  |
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| UDC: | 616-006-005.98 |
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| ISSN on article: | 1318-2099 |
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| COBISS.SI-ID: | 254395904 |
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| Copyright: | by Authors |
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| Publication date in DiRROS: | 18.03.2024 |
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| Views: | 467 |
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| Downloads: | 119 |
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