Authors & affiliations:
Raúl A. Aguilera-Eguía, Cristian Yáñez-Baeza, Mariana Melo Lonconao — Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Chile · Ángel Roco Videla — School of Health, Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins, Chile · Olga P. López Soto — Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Manizales, Colombia · Héctor Fuentes-Barría — Dept of Kinesiology, Universidad Arturo Prat, Chile
This narrative review dissects how obesity heightens inflammatory and mechanical stress on lymphatic vessels, exacerbating secondary lymphedema after breast-cancer treatment. Visceral adiposity and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α) blunt lymphangion contractility, reduce clearance capacity and drive tissue hypoxia that accelerates septal fibrosis. In vitro data, murine models and clinical cohorts show a 3- to 4-fold higher lymphedema risk in patients with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m², slower response to decongestive therapy and higher relapse rates. The authors advocate an integrated paradigm combining hypocaloric Mediterranean diet, progressive resistance training and systemic stress reduction within rehabilitation plans. Their creative contribution is a “pathogenetic triangle” — hyperlipidemia → chronic inflammation → lymphatic dysfunction — that justifies introducing metabolic anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g., GLP-1 agonists) and quantitative lymphatic imaging for early risk stratification. Tackling obesity as a modifiable comorbidity is deemed pivotal to long-term volume control and quality-of-life improvement.
Tags: Función pulmonar; Obesidad; Linfedema relacionado con el cáncer de mama
