Treatment approaches and outcomes of a head and neck lymphedema service at an Australian comprehensive cancer center

Rebecca Louise Venchiarutti; Sandra Templeton; Lara Mathers; Emma Charters; Jonathan Robert Clark

doi:10.1002/hed.27369

Treatment approaches and outcomes of a head and neck lymphedema service at an Australian comprehensive cancer center

Rebecca Louise Venchiarutti, Sandra Templeton, Lara Mathers, Emma Charters, Jonathan Robert Clark

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Patients treated for head and neck cancer are at high risk of developing head and neck lymphedema (HNL). We describe outcomes of HNL management at an Australian institution from 2018 to 2020. Methods: Electronic records from Chris O'Brien Lifehouse were retrospectively reviewed from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020. Objective changes in HNL were assessed using The M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) HNL rating scale and Assessment of Lymphedema of the Head and Neck (ALOHA). Results: Among the 100 patients referred for management of HNL, surgery was the most frequent treatment modality (80%; 70% with neck dissection) and 69% underwent radiotherapy. Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) was most often prescribed (96%), followed by self-MLD (93%). Small but significant improvements in ALOHA measurements were observed for 50 patients (50%). Only 5/29 (17%) patients had post-treatment improvements on the MDACC scale. Conclusions: Standardized, prospective measurement of treatment approaches and outcomes is needed to further evaluate the service.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1539-1548
Number of pages	10
Journal	Head and Neck
Volume	45
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/hed.27369
State	Published - Jun 2023

Keywords

exercise
head and neck cancer
lymphedema
self-management
supportive care

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Otorhinolaryngology

Access to Document

10.1002/hed.27369

Cite this

@article{45962bebe7ae4050a3d6e47e58675dc1,

title = "Treatment approaches and outcomes of a head and neck lymphedema service at an Australian comprehensive cancer center",

abstract = "Background: Patients treated for head and neck cancer are at high risk of developing head and neck lymphedema (HNL). We describe outcomes of HNL management at an Australian institution from 2018 to 2020. Methods: Electronic records from Chris O'Brien Lifehouse were retrospectively reviewed from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020. Objective changes in HNL were assessed using The M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) HNL rating scale and Assessment of Lymphedema of the Head and Neck (ALOHA). Results: Among the 100 patients referred for management of HNL, surgery was the most frequent treatment modality (80%; 70% with neck dissection) and 69% underwent radiotherapy. Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) was most often prescribed (96%), followed by self-MLD (93%). Small but significant improvements in ALOHA measurements were observed for 50 patients (50%). Only 5/29 (17%) patients had post-treatment improvements on the MDACC scale. Conclusions: Standardized, prospective measurement of treatment approaches and outcomes is needed to further evaluate the service.",

keywords = "exercise, head and neck cancer, lymphedema, self-management, supportive care",

author = "Venchiarutti, {Rebecca Louise} and Sandra Templeton and Lara Mathers and Emma Charters and Clark, {Jonathan Robert}",

note = "Funding Information: The following organizations provided funding to support this project: the Lang Walker Family Foundation, the Sydney Local Health District, and the Cancer Institute of New South Wales (CINSW 2020/TPG2081). Open access publishing facilitated by The University of Sydney, as part of the Wiley - The University of Sydney agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians. Funding Information: The following organizations provided funding to support this project: the Lang Walker Family Foundation, the Sydney Local Health District, and the Cancer Institute of New South Wales (CINSW 2020/TPG2081). Open access publishing facilitated by The University of Sydney, as part of the Wiley ‐ The University of Sydney agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 The Authors. Head & Neck published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.",

year = "2023",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1002/hed.27369",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "45",

pages = "1539--1548",

journal = "Head and Neck",

issn = "1043-3074",

publisher = "Wiley",

number = "6",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Treatment approaches and outcomes of a head and neck lymphedema service at an Australian comprehensive cancer center

AU - Venchiarutti, Rebecca Louise

AU - Templeton, Sandra

AU - Mathers, Lara

AU - Charters, Emma

AU - Clark, Jonathan Robert

N1 - Funding Information: The following organizations provided funding to support this project: the Lang Walker Family Foundation, the Sydney Local Health District, and the Cancer Institute of New South Wales (CINSW 2020/TPG2081). Open access publishing facilitated by The University of Sydney, as part of the Wiley - The University of Sydney agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians. Funding Information: The following organizations provided funding to support this project: the Lang Walker Family Foundation, the Sydney Local Health District, and the Cancer Institute of New South Wales (CINSW 2020/TPG2081). Open access publishing facilitated by The University of Sydney, as part of the Wiley ‐ The University of Sydney agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. Head & Neck published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

PY - 2023/6

Y1 - 2023/6

N2 - Background: Patients treated for head and neck cancer are at high risk of developing head and neck lymphedema (HNL). We describe outcomes of HNL management at an Australian institution from 2018 to 2020. Methods: Electronic records from Chris O'Brien Lifehouse were retrospectively reviewed from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020. Objective changes in HNL were assessed using The M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) HNL rating scale and Assessment of Lymphedema of the Head and Neck (ALOHA). Results: Among the 100 patients referred for management of HNL, surgery was the most frequent treatment modality (80%; 70% with neck dissection) and 69% underwent radiotherapy. Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) was most often prescribed (96%), followed by self-MLD (93%). Small but significant improvements in ALOHA measurements were observed for 50 patients (50%). Only 5/29 (17%) patients had post-treatment improvements on the MDACC scale. Conclusions: Standardized, prospective measurement of treatment approaches and outcomes is needed to further evaluate the service.

AB - Background: Patients treated for head and neck cancer are at high risk of developing head and neck lymphedema (HNL). We describe outcomes of HNL management at an Australian institution from 2018 to 2020. Methods: Electronic records from Chris O'Brien Lifehouse were retrospectively reviewed from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020. Objective changes in HNL were assessed using The M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) HNL rating scale and Assessment of Lymphedema of the Head and Neck (ALOHA). Results: Among the 100 patients referred for management of HNL, surgery was the most frequent treatment modality (80%; 70% with neck dissection) and 69% underwent radiotherapy. Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) was most often prescribed (96%), followed by self-MLD (93%). Small but significant improvements in ALOHA measurements were observed for 50 patients (50%). Only 5/29 (17%) patients had post-treatment improvements on the MDACC scale. Conclusions: Standardized, prospective measurement of treatment approaches and outcomes is needed to further evaluate the service.

KW - exercise

KW - head and neck cancer

KW - lymphedema

KW - self-management

KW - supportive care

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85153251395&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85153251395&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/hed.27369

DO - 10.1002/hed.27369

M3 - Article

C2 - 37067075

AN - SCOPUS:85153251395

SN - 1043-3074

VL - 45

SP - 1539

EP - 1548

JO - Head and Neck

JF - Head and Neck

IS - 6

ER -

Treatment approaches and outcomes of a head and neck lymphedema service at an Australian comprehensive cancer center

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this