Upper limb lymphedema as the initial symptom of malignant disease / 中华普通外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the diagnosis of malignancy with upper limb lymphedema as the initial sign and symptoms.Methods:Clinical data of 6 patients with malignant lymphedema admitted at the Department of Lymphatic Surgery, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, from May 2007, to Dec 2018 were retrospectively analyzed.Results:The age of these 6 patients ranged from 50 to 78 years. The time from the occurrence of lymphedema to the diagnosis of malignant tumors ranged from 1 month to 15 years. Limb swelling occurred in all 6 cases. Local lymphadenopathy occurred in 4 cases and limb paresthesia occurred in 2 cases. Pathological diagnosis showed that the tumor originated from epithelial tissue in 3 cases, mesenchymal tissue in 2 cases and lymphatic system in 1 case. Pathological diagnosis showed that the tumor originated from epithelial tissue in 3 cases, mesenchymal tissue in 2 cases and lymphatic system in 1 case.Conclusions:To avoid delays in the diagnosis and therapy of malignant lymphedema, physicians should actively look for signs or symptoms of lymphedema during the follow-up period and promptly manage patients developing problems.