Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39414730›Full record

SynthesisBreast cancer research and treatment2024

Is axillary web syndrome a risk factor for breast cancer-related lymphedema of the upper extremity? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Cheryl L Brunelle, Angela Serig

Registry-linked trialAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Breast cancer research and treatment, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07780240 (A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study on the Incidence, Risk Factors, and Postoperative Functional Outcomes of Axillary Web Syndrome After Breast Cancer Surgery), which is not on this map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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.

NCT07780240 recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study on the Incidence, Risk Factors, and Postoperative Functional Outcomes of Axillary Web Syndrome After Breast Cancer Surgery

Typeobservational_patient_registrySponsorAntalya City HospitalRan2026 to 2027Enrolled250ConditionsAxillary Web Syndrome, Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer Lymphedema, Postoperative ComplicationsArmsAxillary surgery (sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection)
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Protocol to improve quality of life, functionality, and exercise capacity in patients with axillary web syndrome after breast cancer: a randomized clinical trial.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Article
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

2 authors.

Cheryl L BrunelleDepartment of Physical and Occupational Therapy, Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. cbrunelle@mgh.harvard.edu.
Angela SerigDepartment of Rehabilitation Services, Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital; Division of Breast Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital; Lymphedema Screening Program, Dana Farber Brigham Cancer Center, Boston, MA, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo systematically review the available literature to determine if axillary web syndrome (AWS) is a risk factor for breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) of the upper extremity.

methodsThe study is Prospero-registered (ID CRD42024508169) and follows PRISMA guidelines. Ovid MEDLINE, PubMED, CINAHL, Embase, clinicaltrials.gov and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were searched February 24, 2024. Original studies including a cohort of females > 18 years of age diagnosed with AWS after breast cancer surgery and assessing BCRL outcome were included. Scoping, mapping, systematic or qualitative reviews, dissertations without peer-review and conference abstracts were excluded. Methodological quality was assessed using the Modified Downs and Black Checklist and overall certainty in the body of evidence was assessed using Cochrane's GRADE criteria (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation).

resultsNine cohort studies representing 3218 participants were included. The median incidence of AWS and BCRL was 31.79% (IQR 8.90%) and 14.29% (IQR 19.01%), respectively, across all studies. Pooled analysis indicated an odds ratio of 1.19 (95% confidence interval 0.60,2.37), with substantial heterogeneity across studies (Chi

conclusionThe available evidence base cannot definitively determine whether AWS imparts risk of BCRL. AWS should be considered a potential risk factor for BCRL, until definitive conclusions from future research are available.

Indexed as

AxillaBreast Cancer LymphedemaBreast NeoplasmsUpper ExtremityFemaleHumansMastectomyRisk FactorsSyndromeAxillary web syndromeBreast cancerCordingLymphedemaLymphoedema

Identifiers

PMID39414730

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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.