What is it about?
Breast Cancer Survivors with lymphedema self-report that they sleep worse (using the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index tool) than breast cancer survivors without lymphedema. When measured with actigraphy there were not significant differences in the sleep between the two groups. The qualitative interviews then added perspective about why the lymphedema group felt they slept worse and found that anxiety/depression, body image, and lymphedema factors all affected sleep. Next steps are more detailed studies specifically on improving sleep in breast cancer survivors with lymphedema.
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Why is it important?
This is important because breast cancer survivors with lymphedema will need innovation in sleep hygiene and lymphedema management to improve their sleep and decrease risk for health complications from poor sleep.
Perspectives
My perspective for this topic stems from my work as a physical therapist with patients with lymphedema and their constant struggle for good quality of life.
Karen Bock
University of Kansas Medical Center Area Health Education Center
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Sleep quality and lymphedema in breast cancer survivors: a mixed method analysis, Journal of Cancer Survivorship, January 2024, Springer Science + Business Media,
DOI: 10.1007/s11764-023-01516-9.
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