Integrating augmented reality tools in breast cancer related lymphedema prognostication and diagnosis

Breast cancer related lymphedema (BCRL) is a detrimental condition characterized by fluid accumulation in the upper limb in breast cancer patients subjected to axillary surgery and/or radiations. Its etiology is multifactorial and include also tumor-specific pathological features, such as lymphovascular invasion (LVI) and extranodal extension (ENE). To date, no widely employed guidelines for the early diagnosis of BCRL are available. Here, we illustrate a protocol for a digitally assisted BCRL assessment using a 3D laser scanner (3DLS) and a tablet computer. It has been specifically optimized in a discovery cohort of high-risk breast cancer patients. This study provides a proof-of-principle that augmented reality tools, such as 3DLS, can be incorporated into the clinical workup of BCRL to allow for a precise, reproducible, reliable, and cheap diagnosis.