Objective
To find out whether levels of fibrin degradation products (FDP) and D-dimer are increased in breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) as in many vascular diseases. FDP and D-dimer have been used in blood tests to help differentiate deep vein thrombosis in the diagnosis of lymphedema. Levels of FDP and D-dimer are often elevated in patients with BCRL.
Methods
Patients with BCRL (group I), non-lymphedema after breast cancer treatment (group II), and deep venous thrombosis (group III) from January 2012 to December 2016 were enrolled. Levels of FDP and D-dimer were measured in all groups and compared among groups.
Results
Mean values of FDP and D-dimer of group I were 5.614±12.387 and 1.179±2.408 μg/μL, respectively. These were significantly higher than their upper normal limits set in our institution. Levels of FDP or D-dimer were not significantly different between group I and group II. However, values of FDP and D-dimer in group III were significantly higher than those in group I.
Conclusion
Values of FDP and D-dimer were much higher in patients with thrombotic disease than those in patients with lymphedema. Thus, FDP and D-dimer can be used to differentiate between DVT and lymphedema. However, elevated levels of FDP or D-dimer cannot indicate the occurrence of lymphedema.

Citations

• Prevalence and Prognostic Role of Lymphedema in Patients with Deep Venous Thrombosis and Thrombophlebitis
  Alexandru Grigorean, Nicole Lindenblatt, Isabelle Luchsinger, Lukas Hobohm, Stavros V. Konstantinides, Thomas Münzel, Stefano Barco, Karsten Keller
  Lymphatic Research and Biology.2024; 22(1): 20.     CrossRef
• Evaluation of Anticoagulant Effect of Alum in Rats
  Muhammad Hassan Ali Khan, Ghazala Bibi, Hira Siyar, Haji Bahadar
  Pakistan BioMedical Journal.2024; : 02.     CrossRef
• Association of medical comorbidities in obese subjects diagnosed with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia
  Matthew Darok, Alexander Daly, Vonn Walter, Conrad Krawiec
  SAGE Open Medicine.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Integration of nanobiosensors into organ-on-chip systems for monitoring viral infections
  Jiande Zhang, Min-Hyeok Kim, Seulgi Lee, Sungsu Park
  Nano Convergence.2024;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Postmastectomy phlebothrombosis and methods of physical therapy
  V. V. Zhavoronkova, T. I. Grushina, N. P. Aleksandrova
  Fizioterapevt (Physiotherapist).2023; (4): 7.     CrossRef
• Relationship between plasma fibrinogen degradation products(FDP) and D-dimer levels and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis: A STROBE compliant article
  FuYong Qiang, Hui Xu, Jun Sheng
  Medicine.2022; 101(36): e30455.     CrossRef
• D-Dimer: A Potential Solution to Problems of Cancer Screening, Surveillance, and Prognosis Assessment
  Nabeel A Siddiqui, Mushrin Malik, Ransirini Wijeratne Fernando, Archana Sreekantan Nair, Janan Illango, Rajvi Gor, Pousette Hamid
  Cureus.2021;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation Score and Sepsis-induced Coagulopathy Score in Prediction of COVID-19 Severity: A Retrospective Analysis
  Mayank Kapoor, Prasan Kumar Panda, Lokesh Kumar Saini, Yogesh Bahurupi
  Indian Journal of Critical Care Medicine.2021; 25(12): 1357.     CrossRef
• The association of D-dimer with clinicopathological features of breast cancer and its usefulness in differential diagnosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis
  Yan Lu, LongYi Zhang, QiaoHong Zhang, YongJun Zhang, DeBao Chen, JianJie Lou, JinWen Jiang, ChaoXiang Ren, Elda Tagliabue
  PLOS ONE.2019; 14(9): e0221374.     CrossRef
• Effects of Different Bandaging Methods for Treating Patients With Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema
  Se Hyun Oh, Sung Hwan Ryu, Ho Joong Jeong, Jung Hyun Lee, Young-Joo Sim
  Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine.2019; 43(6): 677.     CrossRef