Lower extremity lymphedema as the initial symptom of malignant disease

• Published in: Zhong hua yi xue za zhi Vol. 102; no. 8; p. 584
• Main Authors: Hao, K, Xin, J F, Sun, Y G, Li, B, Zhang, L, Shen, W B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Chinese
• Published: China 01.03.2022
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Female; Humans; Lower Extremity - pathology; Lymphatic Vessels; Lymphedema - diagnosis; Lymphedema - etiology; Lymphedema - surgery; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasms - complications; Retrospective Studies
• ISSN: 0376-2491
• DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.cn112137-20211209-02746

To investigate the diagnosis of malignancy with lower extremity lymphedema as the initial manifestation. We performed a retrospective study of 33 patients with malignant lymphedema treated at the Department of Lymphatic Surgery, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, from May 22, 2007 to December 31, 2018. A total of 33 cases of lower extremity lymphedema caused or aggravated by malignant tumors were found. The age range of 33 patients with malignant lymphedema was 21 to 84 years. Twenty-two patients were male, and 11 patients were female, with a mean age of (57.5±15.0) years. The time from the occurrence of lymphedema to the diagnosis of malignant tumors ranged from a month to 2 years. The proportion of patients with abnormal tumor markers was 88.9% (24/27), the prevalence of anemia among patients with malignant lymphedema was 42.4% (14/33), and the positive rates of ultrasonography, CT, MRI, and radionuclide imaging were 100.0% (17/17), 100.0% (25/25), 100.0% (4/4) and 60.0% (12/20), respect