Lymphedema, Fatigue, and Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors with Axillary Lymph Node Dissection

Introduction: Health-related quality of life (QOL) has gained importance due to the increasing incidence of breast cancer and the survival rate of breast cancer patients. We aimed to investigate the relationship between lymphedema, fatigue, and QOL in breast cancer survivors with axillary lymph node dissection. Methods: A total of 122 female breast cancer survivors with axillary lymph node dissection who applied to the oncology center of a teaching and research hospital between April 1, 2022, and July 1, 2022, were included in the cross-sectional study. An individual identification form, the EQ-5D General Quality of Life Scale, and the Cancer Fatigue Scale were used to collect data. Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, Bonferroni post hoc test, and Spearman's correlation were used to assess differences between the survivor groups. Results: The study found that 40.2% of breast cancer survivors experienced lymphedema. The mean scores on the EQ-5D index, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and Cancer Fatigue Scale were 0.27 ± 0.25, 71.12 ± 14.21, and 35.86 ± 6.98, respectively. The Cancer Fatigue Scale total score and the EQ-5D VAS showed a strong positive correlation (r = 0.630; p < 0.05). Conversely, the total Cancer Fatigue Scale and the EQ-5D VAS scores showed a significant negative correlation (r = -0.626; p < 0.05). Conclusions: The study found that almost half of the breast cancer survivors experienced lymphedema. They also had excellent general health, moderate fatigue, and a good overall QOL.