Back to 2026 Abstracts
The Growing and Unequal Burden of Lymphedema: A 10-Year Multicenter Real-World Study of 136 Million Patients
Paige Richards
1, Batool Z. Naqvi
*1, Lily Karlson
1, Kanika Yadav
1, Gabriel De La Cruz
1, Christopher Fullmer
1, Ambroise H. Gilles
1, John Roberts
1, Adam Walchak
2, Sameer A. Patel
21Penn State College of Medicine, Hummelstown, PA; 2Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA
BACKGROUND: Lymphedema is a chronic condition caused by impaired lymphatic transport. Population estimates are limited by heterogeneous etiologies and under-recognition, with most data focused on breast cancer-related cases. We evaluated temporal trends in incidence, prevalence, and demographic disparities using multicenter data.
METHODS: This retrospective cohort study utilized the TriNetX Global Collaborative Network (2016-2025). Patients with ≥1 healthcare encounter and no prior lymphedema diagnosis were included. Incident cases were identified using ICD-10 codes. Incidence and prevalence were estimated with incidence rates calculated as per person-year. Adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using multivariable negative binomial regression with a log person-time offset, adjusting for demographic factors and lymphedema subtype. Sensitivity analyses assessed the impact of masked small cell counts.
RESULTS: Among 136.7 million patients, 312,468 incident cases of lymphedema were identified. Incidence and prevalence increased substantially from 2016 to 2025 (Figure 1). Rates increased with age, peaked in older adults, and were higher among women; secondary lymphedema predominated. Adjusted analyses showed a significant increase in incidence in later years (IRR 1.40, 95% CI 1.34-1.45) and among women (1.30, 1.25-1.36), with higher rates across multiple racial and ethnic groups compared to White individuals.
CONCLUSION: Lymphedema diagnosis has significantly increased over the past decade, with variation by sex, age, race, ethnicity, and subtype. Adjusted analyses revealed disparities not evident in unadjusted data, and secondary lymphedema predominated. These findings highlight an uneven burden underscoring the need for improved surveillance, standardized diagnosis, and targeted interventions.
Back to 2026 Abstracts
