Women with early breast cancer can safely undergo less extensive axillary surgery because it has no impact on recurrence or mortality rates but reduces the risk for lymphedema, a meta-analysis shows.
In the retrospective study, patients with lower extremity lymphedema were at an almost twofold greater risk for skin cancer compared with matched controls.
As awareness of vascular anomalies grows and research on effective treatments continues, this natural offshoot of hematology and oncology offers a fertile area for career development.
Drs Schapira and Gillespie begin this series by reviewing the current research on radiation options for early-stage breast cancer and how to discuss treatment options with patients.