Lymphedema Stages
If your doctor has confirmed a lymphedema diagnosis, the next step is checking your symptoms and identifying the stage of the condition. Lymphedema usually progresses through a series of four stages that range from stage 0 to stage 3. According to the International Society of Lymphology, the four stages of lymphedema are:
stage 0 (also called latent or subclinical)
stage 1 (early or mild lymphedema)
stage 2 (moderate lymphedema)
stage 3 (severe lymphedema)
You and your doctor can then make treatment decisions according to your lymphedema stage.
Stage 0 lymphedema
People with stage 0 lymphedema have no visible swelling (edema) or pitting, which refers to a temporary indentation in the skin when you press it. You may notice a mild tingling or slight heaviness or tightness in the affected area. You can have stage 0 lymphedema for months or years before obvious symptoms develop.
Stage 1 lymphedema
People with stage 1 lymphedema have visible swelling as lymph starts to accumulate. Although a temporary small dent (or pit) forms when you press the skin, there is no permanent damage to the skin or underlying tissues.
Specialists consider this early-stage lymphedema to be reversible. If your arm is swollen, it can go back to normal when you elevate it.
Once you have mild lymphedema, your risk for developing moderate lymphedema is higher than someone who has never had any symptoms — even if your symptoms go away with treatment.
Stage 2 lymphedema
People with stage 2 lymphedema have visible swelling with pitting and a higher risk of infection. Elevating the affected area does not help. This means there is inflammation, hardening, or thickening of the tissue under the skin.
As scarring of soft tissue under the skin worsens, pitting may disappear. Your specialist can help you manage stage 2 lymphedema with treatment, but tissue damage is not reversible.
Stage 3 lymphedema
People with stage 3 lymphedema — the most advanced stage — have visible swelling, and the affected area enlarges and becomes misshapen. There is also a higher risk of infection. The skin hardens and thickens so much there is no pitting, and lymph can leak through damaged tissue.
Stage 3 lymphedema is relatively rare in people diagnosed with breast cancer.
— Last updated on August 15, 2023 at 8:10 PM