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Annals of Surgical Oncology
Published in: Annals of Surgical Oncology 3/2021

01-03-2021 | Lymphedema | Reconstructive Oncology

Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Lymphedema: A Systematic Review and COSMIN Analysis

Authors: Louise Marie Beelen, MD, Anne-Margreet van Dishoeck, PhD, Elena Tsangaris, PhD, Michelle Coriddi, MD, Joseph H. Dayan, MD, Andrea L. Pusic, MD, MHS, Anne Klassen, PhD, Dalibor Vasilic, MD, PhD

Published in: Annals of Surgical Oncology | Issue 3/2021

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Abstract

Background

Lymphedema is a chronic and debilitating condition that affects many cancer survivors. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) can give valuable insight into the impact of lymphedema on a patient’s quality of life and can play an essential role in treatment decisions. This study aims to (1) identify PROMs used to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with lymphedema; and (2) assess the quality of the lymphedema-specific PROMs.

Methods

We performed a systematic search to identify articles on lymphedema, quality of life, and PROMs. An overview was created of all PROMs used to assess HRQoL in patients with lymphedema. The methodological quality of the lymphedema-specific PROMs was assessed using the Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) criteria.

Results

A total of 235 articles met the inclusion criteria, of which 200 described studies using one or more PROMs as an outcome measure in patients with lymphedema. The other 35 studies described the development and/or validation of a lymphedema-specific PROM. The COSMIN assessment demonstrated that none of these PROMs met all quality standards for development.

Conclusion

The use of PROMs in lymphedema is increasing; however, based on our findings, we cannot fully support the use of any of the existing instruments. A well-developed lymphedema-specific PROM, based on patient input, is needed to gain better insight into the impact of this condition, and can be used to measure the effect of possible medical and surgical treatments.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Lymphedema: A Systematic Review and COSMIN Analysis
Authors
Louise Marie Beelen, MD
Anne-Margreet van Dishoeck, PhD
Elena Tsangaris, PhD
Michelle Coriddi, MD
Joseph H. Dayan, MD
Andrea L. Pusic, MD, MHS
Anne Klassen, PhD
Dalibor Vasilic, MD, PhD
Publication date
01-03-2021
Publisher
Springer International Publishing
Keyword
Lymphedema
Published in
Annals of Surgical Oncology / Issue 3/2021
Print ISSN: 1068-9265
Electronic ISSN: 1534-4681
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-020-09346-0

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