ArticleDiscover oncology2025
Effect of body mass index on postoperative lymphedema after breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Article in Discover oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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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.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Association Between Danish Guideline Treatments for Breast Cancer and Physiotherapy-Relevant Late Effects: A Nationwide Cohort Study.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy · 2026Article
- The impact of early exercise intervention on the incidence and severity of lymphedema following axillary lymph node dissection in breast cancer.Gland surgery · 2026Article
- Occupational Therapy in the Treatment of Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema: A Narrative Review.Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Comprehensive overview of management and risk assessment of breast cancer-related lymphedema: a multidisciplinary approach.Frontiers in oncology · 2026Review
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Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundUpper extremity lymphedema, a major complication post-breast cancer surgery, severely impacts quality of life. While body mass index (BMI) is suggested as a risk factor for postoperative breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), evidence is inconsistent. This meta-analysis systematically evaluates BMI's impact on postoperative lymphedema to resolve discrepancies and provide accurate insights.
methodsThe authors conducted comprehensive literature searches from inception to October 7, 2024, in major English-language databases, including PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane. To assess the association between BMI and postoperative BCRL, odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. Subgroup analyses were also performed to evaluate the impact of BMI on postoperative lymphedema in breast cancer patients across different geographic regions.
resultsThis meta-analysis included 16 studies involving 6,057 postoperative breast cancer patients, with sample sizes ranging from 101 to 1,130. The results revealed a significant association between elevated BMI and postoperative BCRL, with an OR of 2.05 (95% CI, 1.53-2.75; P < 0.005) for patients with BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² compared to those with BMI < 25 kg/m². These findings underscore a significant positive correlation between higher BMI and an increased risk of postoperative lymphedema in breast cancer patients.
conclusionsOur findings demonstrate that a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² is a significant risk factor for postoperative lymphedema in breast cancer patients. A comprehensive understanding of BMI's role in lymphedema development post-surgery can inform clinicians and therapists in designing personalized strategies to mitigate this complication.
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