Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41264041›Full record

ArticleBreast cancer research and treatment2025

Socioeconomic and ethnic disparities in breast cancer-related lymphedema and quality-of-life after immediate lymphatic reconstruction.

Abbas M Hassan, John P Hajj, John P Lewis, Carla S Fisher, Folasade O Imeokparia, Kandice K Ludwig, Rachel M Danforth, R Jason VonDerHaar, Ravinder Bamba, Mary E Lester and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Breast cancer research and treatment, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the 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

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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.

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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Social determinants drive lymphedema severity and treatment adherence: evidence from a three-year retrospective cohort study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Article
  2. Effects of Resistance Training on Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema: A Meta-Analysis.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translation · 2026
    Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Abbas M HassanDivision of Plastic Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind., USA.
John P HajjDivision of Plastic Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind., USA.
John P LewisDivision of Plastic Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind., USA.
Carla S FisherDivision of Breast Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind., USA.
Folasade O ImeokpariaDivision of Breast Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind., USA.
Kandice K LudwigDivision of Breast Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind., USA.
Rachel M DanforthDivision of Plastic Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind., USA.
R Jason VonDerHaarDivision of Plastic Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind., USA.
Ravinder BambaDivision of Plastic Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind., USA.
Mary E LesterDivision of Plastic Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind., USA.
Aladdin H HassaneinDivision of Plastic Surgery, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind., USA. ahassane@iu.edu.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeBreast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) disproportionately impacts patients facing socioeconomic challenges. The influence of socioeconomic disparities on preventive procedures such as immediate lymphatic reconstruction (ILR) is unclear. We sought to determine the impact of area deprivation index (ADI) on BCRL incidence and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) following ILR.

methodsWe retrospectively studied consecutive patients who underwent ILR following ALND between 2017 and 2024 across multiple hospitals within a hospital network. Patients were stratified into quartiles based on ADI (Q1 = least deprived, Q4 = most deprived). BCRL prevalence and condition-specific (LYMPH-Q) quality-of-life performance was compared and correlated across quartiles via multivariable regression, including subgroup analysis by ethnicity.

resultsWe identified 172 patients with follow-up time of 23.1 ± 15.2 months. Patients residing in the most deprived neighborhoods (ADI Q4) demonstrated significantly higher BCRL rates compared to those from less deprived neighborhoods (Q1-3) (16.3% vs. 3.9%; p = 0.006). In multivariable regression, residence in the most deprived neighborhoods remained independently associated with a significantly higher risk of BCRL (OR 5.10, 95% CI 1.30-20.30; p = 0.021). Subgroup analysis revealed that Black patients in the highest ADI quartile reported significantly worse LYMPH-Q function scores (median 62.0 vs 100.0; p = 0.020), compared to Black patients residing in less deprived areas. ADI was not significantly associated with surgical complications or unplanned reoperations.

conclusionsNeighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage significantly increases BCRL risk following ILR and is associated with significantly worse patient-reported functional outcomes among Black patients. Targeted interventions addressing neighborhood-level factors are critical to mitigate these disparities and ensure equitable outcomes.

Indexed as

Breast Cancer LymphedemaBreast NeoplasmsHealthcare DisparitiesLymphedemaQuality of LifeAdultAgedEthnicityFemaleHumansMiddle AgedPatient Reported Outcome MeasuresRetrospective StudiesSocioeconomic FactorsADIBreast cancerEthnicityILRLymphaLymphedemaSocioeconomic disadvantage

Identifiers

PMID41264041
PMCPMC12634788

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.