Breast edema in patients treated conservatively for stage I and II breast cancer

Breast edema was evaluated in 45 patients with Stage I or II breast cancer (including two with simultaneous, bilateral disease), who were treated by breast-preserving treatment approaches. Multiple variable statistical analysis revealed that bra cup size was the only factor significantly related to the appearance of breast edema. Breast edema occurred in 3 of 20 breasts (15%) with bra cup size A or B, as compared to 13 of 27 breasts (48%) with bra cup size C, D or DD(p less than 0.03). Breast edema was more likely to occur in patients who underwent full axillary dissection as compared to those who underwent axillary sampling or no axillary surgery. This observation, however, was not statistically significant. Neither the radiation therapy parameters nor the use of adjuvant chemotherapy were found to be related to the development of breast edema. Breast edema appears to be a transient phenomenon observed most frequently in the first year after the end of irradiation. It was observed much less frequently in those patients evaluated over 1 year following the end of radiation therapy.