Survey on Lymphedema after Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in People with Cervical or Vulvar Cancer
This study evaluates the prevalence of lower extremity lymphedema (LEL) in patient with early-stage cervical or vulvar cancer who have undergone lymphadenectomy (LND) biopsy with or without sentinel lymph node (SLN). In a lymphadenectomy, many lymph nodes are removed from the area surrounding the tumor; this procedure is the standard of care for lymph node assessment in cervical and vulvar cancers. SNL biopsy is a newer approach that has been shown to be effective and is widely accepted in clinical practice. In SLN, only the lymph nodes to which the cancer is most likely to spread first are removed. SNL are identified by injecting a radioactive dye that is absorbed by the lymphatic system (the vessels and nodes that help fight infection and drain fluid from various parts of the body). Sometimes removing lymph nodes disrupts the normal flow of lymph (fluid that contains white blood cells) as it travels between the tissues and the blood. This disruption can lead to lymphedema (LE), an abnormal swelling that may cause pain or discomfort. Information gathered from this study may help identify people who are at risk of developing LEL after LND with or without SLN in early-stage vulvar or cervical cancer patients, and to improve the quality and accuracy of the information that is given to people who have this procedure.