From stasis to systematics: deciphering the pathophysiology of secondary lymphedema through omics
Year: 2026
Type: review
Abstract: Secondary lymphedema (LE) can ensue after disruption of lymphatic vasculature, which may be caused by infection, surgery, or cancer treatment. Omics technologies can move the field beyond an anatomic description of lymphatic stasis by defining inflammatory, fibrotic, metabolic, lymphatic vascular, and genetic susceptibility programs that shape disease onset and progression. This review summarizes studies that use transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, lipidomic, and emerging genomic or computational approaches in secondary LE. We synthesize how these datasets have identified candidate biomarkers, cell populations, signaling pathways, and therapeutic targets; highlight limitations of current platforms, samples, and bioinformatic pipelines; and propose future multi-omics strategies for diagnosis, risk stratification, and treatment development of secondary LE.
Source: Frontiers in Immunology
Language: English
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,801
Awards: Role of epidermis in regulating inflammatory skin manifestations of post-surgical lymphedema, Molecular mechanisms of age-related lymphatic dysfunction, Role of Mast cells in regulating inflammatory pathology of secondary lymphedema, Mechanisms of fibrosis in post-surgical lymphedema, Role of lymphatic endothelial cell NFkB signaling in adult lymph node homeostasis, Cancer Center Support Grant, Surgical Oncology Research Training Grant, Mechanisms of racial disparity in breast cancer-related lymphedema
OpenAlex ID: W7169780365