Prospective Screening for Breast Cancer-related Lymphedema

The goal of the study is to create a large, prospectively maintained database with data from multiple objective measurement methods (i.e. perometry and BIS) that has detailed information on patient's symptoms and quality of life measures that can be used to answer research questions.

The study design is prospective in nature, and a questionnaire will be utilized in conjunction with objective measurements before, throughout, and after a patient's treatment for breast cancer. This protocol is designed to mimic the current standard of care screening program with the addition of the quality of life questionnaire and BIS measurements.

Data collection will include medical chart review, perometric arm volume measurements, BIS measurements, and a subjective questionnaire. At their preoperative multidisciplinary breast cancer clinic appointment, patients will undergo baseline arm volume measurements per standard of care. At this time, eligible patients will be offered this study. Those who consent will be given a baseline questionnaire to fill out and have baseline BIS measurements taken. Throughout their treatment and follow-up, patients will periodically have BCRL screening every 2-12 months depending on their risk (i.e. patients who are high risk for BCRL because of extensive lymph node surgery will be measured more often than patients who did not have lymph nodes removed). These screening visits will coincide with naturally occurring oncology follow-up visits; although, patients are also screened when patient or provider requests and questionnaires/BIS measurements will be offered at these time points as well.