Self-Care for Lymphedema in Patients With Breast Cancer

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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RATIONALE: Identifying why patients don't do self care for lymphedema may help doctors plan better at-home self-care treatment. PURPOSE: This research study is looking at self-care practices for lymphedema in patients with breast cancer.

Detailed Description
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OBJECTIVES: Primary To systematically identify and describe the barriers to completing recommended at home self-care of lymphedema in patients with breast cancer. To identify patient recalled instructions as to at home self-care practices for lymphedema as told to them by healthcare professionals and others. To identify the current at home self-care practices of breast cancer survivors with treatment treated lymphedema. Secondary To examine the relationship between at home self-care activities and symptoms in breast cancer survivors with lymphedema. To examine the relationship between at home self-care activities and quality of life in breast cancer survivors with lymphedema. To identify patient-perceived benefits to at home self-care. OUTLINE: Patients complete questionnaires about their breast cancer diagnosis and treatment history, lymphedema history and problems, and years of education and income. Patients also complete surveys about home self-care practices for lymphedema and any benefits, burdens, or barriers of at home care.

Official Title
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Breast Cancer Treatment Related Lymphedema Self Care Practices

Conditions
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Breast Cancer

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: questionnaire administration
* Other: survey administration
* Procedure: quality-of-life assessment


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: History of breast cancer Lymphedema in one or both arms that occurred during or after breast cancer treatment Must have received prior lymphedema treatment by a healthcare professional Patients with self-reported arm swelling subsequent to breast cancer treatment that has not been treated by a healthcare professional are not eligible Hormone receptor status not specified PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: Menopausal status not specified English speaking PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: See Disease Characteristics

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 120 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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Female

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Intervention/Treatment |
| --- |
|Other: questionnaire administration|Completed self-report form|
|Other: survey administration|Completed self-report form-other|
|Procedure: quality-of-life assessment|Completed self-report form qol|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Identification and description of barriers to completing recommended at home self-care of lymphedema |  | one time only for approximately 15 minutes | 
| Identification of patients recalled instructions as to at home self-care practices for lymphedema as told to them by healthcare professionals and others |  | one time only for approximately 15 minutes | 
| Identification of current at home self-care practices for lymphedema |  | one time only for approximately 15 minutes | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Relationship between at home self-care activities, symptoms, and quality of life in breast cancer survivors with lymphedema |  | one time only for approximately 15 minutes | 
| Identification of patient-perceived benefits to at home self-care |  | one time only for approximately 15 minutes | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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male breast cancer, recurrent breast cancer, stage I breast cancer, stage II breast cancer, stage IIIA breast cancer, stage IIIB breast cancer, stage IIIC breast cancer, stage IV breast cancer