Ayhan, Fikriye FigenPervane Vural, SecilAyhan, Fikriye FigenSoran, Atilla2024-07-052024-07-05202041539-68511557-858510.1089/lrb.2020.0059https://doi.org/10.1089/lrb.2020.0059https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14411/3178Ayhan, Fikriye Figen/0000-0001-6906-991XBackground:This study aimed to compare the effects of awareness and knowledge on demographic and clinical factors in patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) and gynecologic cancer-related lymphedema (GCRL) in the oncologic rehabilitation setting. Methods and Results:A total of 506 female patients with upper or lower extremity lymphedema, were evaluated for lymphedema education in their postoperative period. Only 74 survivors (25%) with BCRL and 34 survivors (16.83%) with GCRL reported that they had received information about lymphedema by physicians/primary health care providers. In breast cancer survivors, the time of diagnostic delay for lymphedema was shorter in the informed group (p < 0.001), and there was a higher rate of cellulite attacks in uninformed patients (p = 0.021). Duration between surgery and lymphedema was longer and duration of diagnostic delay for lymphedema was shorter in the informed group than uninformed group in gynecologic cancer survivors (p = 0.019,p < 0.001). There was a higher rate of cellulite history in the uninformed patients than informed patients in gynecologic cancer survivors (p < 0.001). In gynecologic cancer survivors who were educated about lymphedema were at an earlier stage than noneducated patients (p = 0.024). Conclusion:The rate of awareness about lymphedema among patients with a history of surgery for gynecologic malignancies is lower compared with those for breast cancer. In female cancer survivors, awareness and knowledge about lymphedema may lead to a later onset of lymphedema, lower lymphedema grades, and fewer infection.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccessgynecologic malignanciesbreast cancerlymphedemaawarenesseducationpatient informationArticleQ4Q3186526533WOS:00057630460000133026963