Assessment of Breast Cancer-Related Arm Lymphedema-Comparison of Physical Measurement Methods and Self-Report

Purpose: To determine the relationship between physical methods of measuring lymphedema and self-reported swelling, their reliability, and standard error of measurement. Method: Lymphedema in each arm of women with (n = 33) and without (n = 18) unilateral arm lymphedema, secondary to breast cancer was measured by self-report, bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS), perometer, and the truncated cone method. Results: The physical measurement tools were highly reliable (ICC(2.1): 0.94 to 1.00) with high concordance (r(c): 0.89 to 0.99). Self-report correlated moderately with physical measurements (r = 0.65 to 0.71) and was moderately reliable (ICC(2.1): 0.70). Conclusions: Lymphedema assessment methods are concordant and reliable but not interchangeable.