Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39715839›Full record

Observational studyArchives of gynecology and obstetrics2025

Lower extremity lymphedema in patients with gynecologic cancer: Validation of the Gynecologic Cancer Lymphedema Questionnaire (GCLQ) in German language and investigation of lymphedema real-world treatment.

Henrike Meyer, Andreas Hinz, Christiane Weisgerber, Adrian Pilny, Nadja Dornhöfer, Anja Mehnert-Theuerkauf, Bahriye Aktas, Benjamin Wolf

Abstract readObservational StudyValidation Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in Archives of gynecology and obstetrics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing 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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
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

8 authors.

Henrike MeyerDepartment of Gynecology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.ORCID 0009-0003-0814-2070
Andreas HinzDepartment of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Comprehensive Cancer Center Central Germany (CCCG), University Medical Center Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
Christiane WeisgerberDepartment of Gynecology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
Adrian PilnyDepartment of Gynecology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
Nadja DornhöferDepartment of Gynecology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
Anja Mehnert-TheuerkaufDepartment of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Comprehensive Cancer Center Central Germany (CCCG), University Medical Center Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
Bahriye AktasDepartment of Gynecology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
Benjamin WolfDepartment of Gynecology, University Hospital Leipzig, Liebigstraße 20a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. benjamin.wolf@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe Gynecologic Cancer Lymphedema Questionnaire (GCLQ) is an established patient-reported outcome measure for lower extremity lymphedema (LEL) in gynecologic oncology. We aimed to validate the GCLQ in German language (GCLQ-GER) for lymphedema detection in German-speaking patients and also investigated real-world patterns of lymphedema treatment.

methodsThe GCLQ was translated from English into German in accordance with the standards of a professional translation process. Subsequently, the questionnaire was administered in a prospective observational study including 102 patients who had undergone lymph node dissection (LND) within gynecologic cancer surgery. Various test quality criteria were calculated for the GCLQ-GER. As gold standard of testing methods, patients were clinically evaluated for LEL, and limb volume measurements were taken. Further data for lymphedema treatment were collected in patients with lymphedema diagnosis.

resultsPatients with LEL had increased GCLQ-GER total scores (mean 7.27) compared to patients without LEL (mean 1.81), p < 0.001. High diagnostic accuracy was indicated by the large area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) of 0.874 (95% CI 0.802-0.946). Based on sensitivity and specificity values ≥ 79.0%, the GCLQ total score ≥ 4 was determined as the optimal cut-off value to identify LEL. Excellent internal consistency was demonstrated by Cronbach's alpha of 0.876. The clinical examination revealed a LEL prevalence of 48.0% (n = 49), and 85.7% (n = 42) of these patients received treatment.

conclusionThe GCLQ-GER is a valid and feasible patient-reported outcome measure for lymphedema detection in German-speaking gynecologic cancer survivors. Its clinical introduction could improve secondary prevention of lymphedema and real-world treatment.

Indexed as

Genital Neoplasms, FemaleLymphedemaPatient Reported Outcome MeasuresAdultAgedFemaleGermanyHumansLanguageLower ExtremityLymph Node ExcisionMiddle AgedProspective StudiesSurveys and QuestionnairesTranslationsClinical screening toolGCLQ-GERPatient-reported outcome measures (PROMs)Quality of lifeSecondary prevention of lymphedema

Identifiers

PMID39715839
PMCPMC11985603

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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.