Treatment | Five-year incidence of BCRL*[1] | Five-year incidence of BCRL¶[2] |
ALND + RLNR | 30.1% | Not reported |
ALND | 24.9% | 23%Δ |
SLNB + RLNR | 10.7% | Not reported |
SLNB | 8.0% | 11% |
ALND: axillary lymph node dissection; BCRL: breast cancer-related lymphedema; RLNR: regional lymph node radiation; SLNB: sentinel lymph node biopsy.
* Relative volume change ≥10% from preoperative baseline.
¶ Clinical sign in the ipsilateral arm.
Δ ALND with or without RLNR (RLNR is performed when ALND revealed ≥4 positive nodes).