Biomedical Research

Objective: The research is to explore the success rate and safety of axillary reverse mapping (ARM) and the effect on the function and lymphedema of ipsilateral upper limb, and to investigate the quality-of-life of patients with breast cancer after operation, as well as to explore the related factors affecting the success rate of ARM.

Methods: In operation of 60 cases of female patients with enlarged axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer, both the ARM-nodes and the crossover stained lymph nodes with Methylthioniniun Chloride Injection and Nano Carbon Injection were performed the intraoperative frozen section examination. We investigated the ipsilateral limb function and quality-of-life of patients between the ARM success group and ARM failure group.

Results: The BMI and degree of upper limb lymphedema in ARM success group were significantly lower than in the ARM failure group (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed whether success of ARM was the independent risk factor of ipsilateral upper limb lymphedema (P<0.05).

Conclusion: The ARM technique can reduce the occurrence of ipsilateral upper limb edema, and can improve upper limb function as well as the quality-of-life. ARM is an independent risk factor for upper limb lymphedema after axillary lymph node dissection (ALND).

Author(s): Wen-ju Mo, Xi-ping Zhang, En-qi Qiao, Shang-nao Xie, Xiao-wen Ding
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