Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Dec 20;21(1):20.
doi: 10.1186/s13014-025-02746-0.

Low-dose radiotherapy for benign conditions: management of persistent inguinal lymphorrea

Verónica Cañón  1 , Javier Anchuelo  2   3 , Claudia Laborda  4 , Ana Galán  4 , Ana Laura Rivero  5 , Frandeína Pinto  5 , Mara García  5 , Paola Navarrete  5 , Piedad Galdós  5 , Ana Aliaga  4 , Arantxa Ayete Andreu  4 , Cristina García  4 , Gemma Liria  6 , Maria Cerrolaza  4 , Rosa Fabregat  5 , Claudia Colom Pla  4 , Pedro José Prada  5
Affiliations

Low-dose radiotherapy for benign conditions: management of persistent inguinal lymphorrea

Verónica Cañón et al. Radiat Oncol. .

Abstract

Background: Lymphorrhea is a complication that can arise after vascular, abdominal or pelvic interventions and is associated with significant morbidity. While conservative management is typically effective, some cases remain refractory.

Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed 43 patients with persistent inguinal lymphorrhea treated at a tertiary hospital between 2008 and 2018. All patients received external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) using 3D conformal techniques with photons (6-18 MV). The delivered dose was 7.5 Gy in five 1,5 Gy/fractions.

Results: Complete closure of the lymphatic fistula was achieved in all patients. Three required reirradiation with the same schedule to reach complete resolution. No acute or late toxicity was observed in any case.

Conclusions: Low-dose EBRT is a safe and effective treatment option for persistent lymphorrhea refractory to conservative measures. Its anti-inflammatory and fibrosing effects support its therapeutic use in benign lymphatic complications.

Trial registration: Not applicable.

Keywords: Benign pathology; External beam radiation therapy; Low-dose radiotherapy; Lymphatic fistula; Lymphorrhea.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The study was conducted in accordance with institutional ethical standards and the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Ethical approval was obtained from the local ethics committee of the participating center. Written informed consent for radiotherapy treatment was obtained from all patients at the time of treatment. Consent for publication: Not applicable. This study does not contain identifiable personal data from any individual participant. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Persistent lymphocutaneous fistula and persistent lymphorrea
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
External beam radiotherapy. Dosimetry
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Ranghino A, Segoloni GP, Lasaponara F, et al. Lymphatic disorders after renal transplantation: new insights for an old complication. Clin Kidney J. 2015;8:615–22. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Giovannacci L, Eugster T, Stierli P, et al. Does fibrin glue reduce complications after femoral artery surgery? A randomised trial. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg. 2002;24:196–201. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Dietl B, Pfister K, Aufschlager C, et al. Radiotherapy of inguinal lymphorrhea after vascular surgery. A retrospective analysis. Strahlenther Onkol. 2005;181:396–400. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Ramasastry SS, Liang MD, Hurwitz DJ. Surgical management of difficult wounds of the groin. Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1989;169:418–22. - PubMed
    1. Tyndall SH, Shepard AD, Wilczewski JM, et al. Groin lymphatic complications after arterial reconstruction. J Vasc Surg. 1994;9:858–63. - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources