Tackling the diversity of breast cancer related lymphedema: Perspectives on diagnosis, risk assessment, and clinical management

Breast cancer related lymphedema (BCRL) develops as a consequence of surgical treatment and/or radiation therapy in a significant number of breast cancer patients. The etiology of this condition is multifactorial and has not yet been completely elucidated. Risk factors include high body mass index, radical surgical procedures (i.e. mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection), number of lymph nodes removed and number of metastatic lymph nodes,...