Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41402689›Full record

ArticleAnnals of surgical oncology2026

Impact of Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema on Cancer Care Costs: Longitudinal and Age-Based Analyses.

Anne Marie Raymakers, Tari A King, Elizabeth A Mittendorf, Tanujit Dey, Mahima Jain, Electra D Paskett, Ann S McAlearney, Rachel A Greenup, Justin M Broyles, Sara P Myers

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Article in Annals of surgical oncology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

10 authors.

Anne Marie RaymakersDivision of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Tari A KingDivision of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Elizabeth A MittendorfDivision of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Tanujit DeyHarvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Mahima JainCenter for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Electra D PaskettDivision of Cancer Prevention and Control, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
Ann S McAlearneyDepartment of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
Rachel A GreenupDivision of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Justin M BroylesDivision of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
Sara P MyersComprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA. sara.poorfarahani@gmail.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeHow breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) costs evolve over time, especially for younger patients, is poorly understood. We sought to characterize BCRL-associated costs by age and treatment phase.

methodsUsing Massachusetts All-Payer Claims data, we compiled costs for patients aged ≤61 years who received surgery for stage I-III breast cancer between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2016, then, postoperatively through December 31, 2020. Treatment costs were compared annually by BCRL status (two or more vs. no BCRL diagnosis codes within 2 years of surgery). BCRL and non-BCRL cohorts were propensity-matched, accounting for surgery types, chemotherapy, and radiation. Sensitivity analyses determined cost differences by age at diagnosis (18-44 vs. 45-61 years).

resultsOf 2141 patients, 244 (11.4%) had BCRL. BCRL incidence was similar across ages: 46 of 434 (10.6%) aged 18-44 years versus 198 of 1707 (11.6%) aged 45-61 years; p = 0.612. Before matching, patients with BCRL had higher copayment ($US1200 vs. $US610 non-BCRL; p < 0.001) and payer costs ($US140,000 vs. $US76,000 non-BCRL; p < 0.001). After matching, copayment differences persisted ($US1200 BCRL vs. $US850 non-BCRL; p < 0.001). Among those aged 18-44 years, BCRL conferred lower out-of-pocket costs ($US2900 vs. $US23,000 non-BCRL; p = 0.031) but no difference in copayment/payer costs in years 1-2 or costs thereafter. Among those aged 45-61 years, only copayment costs were significant in year 3 (p = 0.014). Heat map analysis revealed that costs concentrated around chemotherapy for all ages; among younger women, BCRL represented the highest source of out-of-pocket spending after chemotherapy and reconstruction.

conclusionPatients with BCRL incurred higher payer and copayment costs than those without. As differences may not emerge until survivorship, strategies to reduce financial toxicity should continue after cancer treatment.

Indexed as

Breast Cancer LymphedemaBreast NeoplasmsHealth Care CostsMastectomyAdolescentAdultAge FactorsFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansLongitudinal StudiesMiddle AgedPrognosisYoung AdultBreast cancerFinancial toxicityHealthcare costsLymphedemaYoung adults

Identifiers

PMID41402689

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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.