[General practitioner questionnaire concerning upper limb lymphedema after breast cancer]

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Public Health
• Medical Education

Background:

• Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer among women in France.
• Lymphedema, a significant complication of breast cancer treatment, is often poorly understood.
• Assessing general practitioners' knowledge is crucial for effective lymphedema management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the current knowledge of general practitioners regarding upper limb lymphedema after breast cancer treatment.
• To identify awareness of risk factors, complications, and treatment modalities for lymphedema.
• To assess lymphedema management practices among physicians in Haute-Normandie and Île-de-France regions.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted.
• A survey with 23 closed-ended questions was emailed to 490 practicing general practitioners.
• Data from 162 (33%) returned questionnaires were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Key lymphedema risk factors identified by physicians include axillary dissection (89%), sentinel lymph node procedures (82%), radiotherapy (81%), mastectomy (45%), and obesity (42%).
• Lymphedema onset was typically within 6 months post-treatment (54%), diagnosed via clinical examination (78%).
• Common management strategies involved daytime elastic compression (77%), manual lymphatic drainage (74%), and advice on infection prevention (80%) and avoiding certain limb activities (22%). Experienced physicians showed higher detection rates (86%).

Conclusions:

• General practitioners demonstrate generally adequate knowledge of breast cancer-related lymphedema.
• However, the low number of patients managed by each physician suggests a need for enhanced training.
• Optimizing generalist education on lymphedema is essential for improving patient care outcomes.