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Axillary Web Syndrome After Breast Cancer Surgery: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Functional Outcomes

19. august 2026 oppdatert av: Mehmet Ölçüm, Antalya City Hospital

A Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study on the Incidence, Risk Factors, and Postoperative Functional Outcomes of Axillary Web Syndrome After Breast Cancer Surgery

Axillary web syndrome (AWS), sometimes called "cording," is a condition that can develop after breast cancer surgery in which the lymph nodes under the arm are removed or sampled. It appears as one or more tight, painful cord-like structures running from the armpit down the inner arm. It can limit shoulder movement, cause pain, and interfere with daily activities.

It is not yet clear how often AWS occurs, when it typically appears after surgery, which patients are most likely to develop it, or whether it is related to the arm swelling (lymphedema) that some patients experience after breast cancer treatment. Most previous studies looked back at patient records rather than following patients forward in time, so the answers remain uncertain.

In this study, women who are having breast cancer surgery with either sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection will be examined before their operation and then at set times afterward: 2, 4, and 8 weeks, and 3 and 6 months. At each visit, the study doctor will examine the armpit and arm for cords, measure how far the shoulder can move, ask the patient to rate any pain, and measure the circumference of both arms to check for swelling.

The study does not change the surgery or treatment a patient receives. It adds only these examinations and measurements, which are not painful and do not require blood tests or imaging. The researchers hope the results will help identify which patients are at higher risk, so that rehabilitation can be started earlier.

Studieoversikt

Status

Rekruttering

Forhold

Intervensjon / Behandling

Detaljert beskrivelse

Background and Rationale

Axillary web syndrome is a postoperative complication characterized by palpable, often painful fibrotic cords extending from the axilla along the upper extremity, occurring after axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) or sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for breast cancer. It may lead to restricted shoulder range of motion, pain, functional loss, and reduced quality of life.

Reported incidence in the literature ranges from approximately 28% to 40%. However, the majority of published studies are retrospective in design, and prospective data obtained through regular, structured physical examination are limited. The risk factors for AWS and its relationship with breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) remain insufficiently defined.

A prospective cohort study using systematic postoperative follow-up and standardized measurements is therefore expected to characterize the true incidence, timing, clinical course, and risk factors of AWS more reliably.

Design and Setting

This is a prospective, observational, multicenter cohort study conducted at two general surgery departments. The study population consists of consecutive patients undergoing surgery for breast cancer with axillary staging (SLNB or ALND) at either participating center. No separate control group is included; patients who develop AWS will be compared with those who do not within the same cohort.

To ensure data consistency across centers, all assessments are performed using a predefined standardized data collection form and identical measurement methods.

Assessments

Preoperative assessment: demographic data, body mass index, TNM stage, and comorbid conditions are recorded. Shoulder range of motion is measured with a goniometer and pain intensity is assessed using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

Operative data: type of surgery performed, number of lymph nodes removed, operative time, and early postoperative complications are recorded.

Postoperative follow-up: patients are assessed at fixed time points (weeks 2, 4, and 8; months 3 and 6). At each visit, the presence of AWS is investigated by inspection and palpation, with the number and anatomical location of cords recorded; shoulder range of motion is measured by goniometry; pain intensity is assessed by VAS; and development of BCRL is evaluated by bilateral arm circumference measurements.

Patients diagnosed with AWS receive conservative management according to routine institutional practice, and time to resolution is recorded.

Data Handling

Data from both centers are anonymized and pooled into a common database for analysis.

Studietype

Observasjonsmessig

Registrering (Antatt)

250

Kontakter og plasseringer

Denne delen inneholder kontaktinformasjon for de som utfører studien, og informasjon om hvor denne studien blir utført.

Studiekontakt

Studer Kontakt Backup

Studiesteder

  • Tyrkia (Türkiye)
    • BAGCILAR
      • Istanbul, BAGCILAR, Tyrkia (Türkiye), 34100
        • Rekruttering
        • Bagcilar Training and Research Hospital
        • Ta kontakt med:
    • Kepez
      • Antalya, Kepez, Tyrkia (Türkiye), 07080
        • Rekruttering
        • Antalya City Hospital
        • Ta kontakt med:

Deltakelseskriterier

Forskere ser etter personer som passer til en bestemt beskrivelse, kalt kvalifikasjonskriterier. Noen eksempler på disse kriteriene er en persons generelle helsetilstand eller tidligere behandlinger.

Kvalifikasjonskriterier

Alder som er kvalifisert for studier

  • Voksen
  • Eldre voksen

Tar imot friske frivillige

Nei

Prøvetakingsmetode

Ikke-sannsynlighetsprøve

Studiepopulasjon

Consecutive patients undergoing surgery for breast cancer with axillary staging by sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection at the general surgery departments of the two participating centers. Patients who develop axillary web syndrome and those who do not are compared within the same cohort; no separate control group is enrolled.

Beskrivelse

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 18 years or older
  • Diagnosis of breast cancer with planned surgical treatment
  • Axillary staging performed by sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection
  • Written informed consent provided

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Preoperative restriction of shoulder range of motion
  • History of neuromuscular disease affecting the upper extremity
  • Metastatic disease
  • Anticipated inability to comply with the follow-up protocol

Studieplan

Denne delen gir detaljer om studieplanen, inkludert hvordan studien er utformet og hva studien måler.

Hvordan er studiet utformet?

Designdetaljer

Kohorter og intervensjoner

Gruppe / Kohort
Intervensjon / Behandling
Patients undergoing axillary surgery for breast cancer
Consecutive patients aged 18 years and older undergoing surgery for breast cancer with axillary staging by sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection at either participating center. All participants are assessed preoperatively and at weeks 2, 4, and 8 and months 3 and 6 postoperatively for the presence of axillary web syndrome, shoulder range of motion, pain intensity, and arm circumference. No study-specific alteration is made to surgical or oncological management.
Fremgangsmåte: Axillary surgery (sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection)
Axillary staging performed as part of routine breast cancer surgical management, either as sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection. The choice of procedure is made according to standard clinical indications and is not determined by the study protocol.

Hva måler studien?

Primære resultatmål

Resultatmål
Tiltaksbeskrivelse
Tidsramme
Incidence of axillary web syndrome
Tidsramme: From surgery through 6 months postoperatively
Proportion of participants in whom axillary web syndrome is identified at any postoperative assessment. Diagnosis is made clinically by inspection and palpation of a visible or palpable cord extending from the axilla along the upper extremity
From surgery through 6 months postoperatively
Time to onset of axillary web syndrome
Tidsramme: From surgery through 6 months postoperatively
The postoperative assessment visit at which axillary web syndrome is first detected, among participants who develop it. Assessments occur at weeks 2, 4, and 8 and at months 3 and 6
From surgery through 6 months postoperatively

Sekundære resultatmål

Resultatmål
Tiltaksbeskrivelse
Tidsramme
Risk factors associated with development of axillary web syndrome
Tidsramme: From surgery through 6 months postoperatively
Association between development of axillary web syndrome and age, body mass index, type of axillary surgery (sentinel lymph node biopsy versus axillary lymph node dissection), number of lymph nodes removed, adjuvant therapy received, and comorbid conditions
From surgery through 6 months postoperatively
Shoulder range of motion
Tidsramme: Preoperatively and at weeks 2, 4, and 8 and months 3 and 6 postoperatively
Shoulder range of motion of the operated side measured in degrees by goniometry, compared between participants who develop axillary web syndrome and those who do not
Preoperatively and at weeks 2, 4, and 8 and months 3 and 6 postoperatively
Pain intensity measured by Visual Analog Scale
Tidsramme: Preoperatively and at weeks 2, 4, and 8 and months 3 and 6 postoperatively
Pain intensity in the operated upper extremity rated on a Visual Analog Scale ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst imaginable pain. Higher scores indicate greater pain
Preoperatively and at weeks 2, 4, and 8 and months 3 and 6 postoperatively
Incidence of breast cancer-related lymphedema and its association with axillary web syndrome
Tidsramme: From surgery through 6 months postoperatively
Development of lymphedema assessed by bilateral upper extremity circumference measurements, and its association with the presence of axillary web syndrome
From surgery through 6 months postoperatively
Time to resolution of axillary web syndrome with conservative management
Tidsramme: From detection through 6 months postoperatively
Time from detection of axillary web syndrome to clinical resolution of the cord in participants receiving conservative management
From detection through 6 months postoperatively

Samarbeidspartnere og etterforskere

Det er her du vil finne personer og organisasjoner som er involvert i denne studien.

Sponsor

Antalya City Hospital

Samarbeidspartnere

İstanbul Bağcılar Training and Research Hospital

Publikasjoner og nyttige lenker

Den som er ansvarlig for å legge inn informasjon om studien leverer frivillig disse publikasjonene. Disse kan handle om alt relatert til studiet.

Generelle publikasjoner

Studierekorddatoer

Disse datoene sporer fremdriften for innsending av studieposter og sammendragsresultater til ClinicalTrials.gov. Studieposter og rapporterte resultater gjennomgås av National Library of Medicine (NLM) for å sikre at de oppfyller spesifikke kvalitetskontrollstandarder før de legges ut på det offentlige nettstedet.

Studer hoveddatoer

Studiestart (Faktiske)

1. mai 2026

Primær fullføring (Antatt)

1. oktober 2027

Studiet fullført (Antatt)

1. oktober 2027

Datoer for studieregistrering

Først innsendt

19. august 2026

Først innsendt som oppfylte QC-kriteriene

19. august 2026

Først lagt ut (Faktiske)

21. august 2026

Oppdateringer av studieposter

Sist oppdatering lagt ut (Faktiske)

21. august 2026

Siste oppdatering sendt inn som oppfylte QC-kriteriene

19. august 2026

Sist bekreftet

1. august 2026

Mer informasjon

Begreper knyttet til denne studien

Nøkkelord

Ytterligere relevante MeSH-vilkår

Andre studie-ID-numre

  • 215/2026

Plan for individuelle deltakerdata (IPD)

Planlegger du å dele individuelle deltakerdata (IPD)?

NEI

IPD-planbeskrivelse

Individual participant data will not be shared. The study protocol and informed consent do not include provisions for sharing individual-level data with parties outside the research team.

Legemiddel- og utstyrsinformasjon, studiedokumenter

Studerer et amerikansk FDA-regulert medikamentprodukt

Nei

Studerer et amerikansk FDA-regulert enhetsprodukt

Nei

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