Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39315466›Full record

ArticleJournal of surgical oncology2025

Collateralization of the upper extremity lymphatic system after axillary lymph node dissection.

James E Fanning, David K V Chung, Hayley M Reynolds, Tharanga D Jayathungage Don, Hiroo Suami, Kevin J Donohoe, Dhruv Singhal

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of surgical oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

James E FanningDivision of Plastic Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
David K V ChungDiscipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Hayley M ReynoldsAuckland Bioengineering Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Tharanga D Jayathungage DonAuckland Bioengineering Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Hiroo SuamiAustralian Lymphoedema Education Research and Treatment Program (ALERT), Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4841-3328
Kevin J DonohoeDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Dhruv SinghalDivision of Plastic Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6300-1647

Funding

Organ Specific ProjectU54HL165440 · NHLBI · BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER · PI HONG, YOUNG-KWON, SINGHAL, DHRUV · 2022 to 2025
$5.8M
Structural and Functional Remodeling of the Lymphatic System After Axillary Lymph Node DissectionR01HL157991 · NHLBI · BETH ISRAEL DEACONESS MEDICAL CENTER · PI Dhruv Singhal · 2021 to 2026
$3.1M
2023 JOBST Lymphatic Research GrantBoston Lymphatic Symposium, IncHealth Research Council of New ZealandJOBST FoundationNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health R01HL157991New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and EmploymentNew Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment 12 LaboursNHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL157991NHLBI NIH HHS U54 HL165440NIH Common Fund U54HL165440University of Auckland, Strategic Research Investment Fund
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLymphatic drainage from the arm may be altered after axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). Understanding these alterations is important as they may change standard surgical and radiation treatment in recurrent breast cancer or upper extremity skin cancers, including melanoma.

methodsUtilizing a single-institution planar and single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography lymphoscintigraphy database, we identified patients with a diagnosis of upper extremity cutaneous melanoma from 2008 to 2023 who previously underwent ALND for cancer treatment and did not develop upper extremity cancer-related lymphedema. ALND patients were matched to control patients presenting with cutaneous melanomas at the same anatomic sites. Sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) were compared between both groups.

resultsOf 3628 upper extremity melanoma cutaneous patients, 934 met inclusion criteria, including 22 ALND and 912 control patients. Level I axillary SLN drainage was observed in 98% of controls and 27% of ALND patients (p < 0.001). Level II axillary SLN drainage was observed in 3% of controls and 27% of ALND patients (p < 0.001). Level III axillary SLN drainage was observed in 1% of controls and 32% of ALND patients (p < 0.001). Epitrochlear SLN drainage was observed in 9% of controls and 32% of ALND patients, respectively (p < 0.046). Brachial SLN drainage was observed in 4% of controls and 23% of ALND patients (p < 0.001).

conclusionsDistinct changes in functional lymphatic drainage were seen between the arms of patients who previously underwent ALND versus control patients. Levels II and III axillary, epitrochlear, and brachial nodes are possible sites of metastatic disease that should be considered in patients with a prior ALND.

Indexed as

Lymphatic SystemLymph Node ExcisionMelanomaSkin NeoplasmsUpper ExtremityAdultAgedAxillaCase-Control StudiesFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansLymphoscintigraphyMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective Studiesanatomyaxillary lymph node dissectionbreast cancerlymphaticlymphedemamelanomaupper extremity

Identifiers

PMID39315466
PMCPMC11875999

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.