Prostate carcinoma + swelling of the leg = lymphedema : Is the equation correct?

Prostate carcinomas are often associated with lymphedemas of the leg following surgical treatment. Lymphedema is treated using complete decongestive therapy (CDT) with manual lymph drainage and compressive bandaging or stockings. Lymphedema resulting from a distinct iliac lymph node metastasis is a rare condition. A 73-year-old patient with a diagnosed prostate carcinoma presented with distinct swelling in the right leg. Iliac and leg vein thrombosis could not be ruled out. An ultrasound image revealed a large lesion surrounding the right iliac arteries. The patient was treated using percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and a stent was implanted in the right external iliac vein. This resulted in an almost complete regression of the swelling in the leg within a short period of time. While lymphedema can generally be established by clinical examination, this specific case demonstrates that an additional vascular examination is advisable in the context of an underlying malignant condition.

Citation

C Harzendorf, A Schmidt, T Hirsch. Prostate carcinoma + swelling of the leg = lymphedema : Is the equation correct? Der Internist. 2017 Apr;58(4):402-408

PMID: 27689230

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