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Updated: Apr 22, 2026

Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Breast Cancer-related Lymphedema
Published on: January 12, 2017
Obesity-induced Upper Extremity Lymphedema
Arin K Greene1, Reid A Maclellan1
1Department of Plastic and Oral Surgery, Lymphedema Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
Summary:
Obesity increases the risk of upper extremity lymphedema following treatment for breast cancer and can cause lower extremity lymphatic dysfunction in extremely obese individuals. We report the first patient with obesity-induced upper extremity lymphedema. A 62-year-old man with a previous body mass index (BMI) of 105.6, presented with a BMI 60.3 following weight loss. He complained of lymphedema of all 4 extremities, which was confirmed by lymphoscintigraphy. Because the upper limbs are more resistant to lymphedema than the lower extremities, a higher BMI threshold may be necessary to cause upper extremity lymphatic dysfunction.
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