Publication
Title
Effect of manual lymph drainage in addition to guidelines and exercise therapy on arm lymphoedema related to breast cancer: randomised controlled trial
Author
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the preventive effect of manual lymph drainage on the development of lymphoedema related to breast cancer. DESIGN: Randomised single blinded controlled trial. SETTING: University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. PARTICIPANTS: 160 consecutive patients with breast cancer and unilateral axillary lymph node dissection. The randomisation was stratified for body mass index (BMI) and axillary irradiation and treatment allocation was concealed. Randomisation was done independently from recruitment and treatment. Baseline characteristics were comparable between the groups. INTERVENTION: For six months the intervention group (n = 79) performed a treatment programme consisting of guidelines about the prevention of lymphoedema, exercise therapy, and manual lymph drainage. The control group (n = 81) performed the same programme without manual lymph drainage. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cumulative incidence of arm lymphoedema and time to develop arm lymphoedema, defined as an increase in arm volume of 200 mL or more in the value before surgery. RESULTS: Four patients in the intervention group and two in the control group were lost to follow-up. At 12 months after surgery, the cumulative incidence rate for arm lymphoedema was comparable between the intervention group (24%) and control group (19%) (odds ratio 1.3, 95% confidence interval 0.6 to 2.9; P = 0.45). The time to develop arm lymphoedema was comparable between the two group during the first year after surgery (hazard ratio 1.3, 0.6 to 2.5; P = 0.49). The sample size calculation was based on a presumed odds ratio of 0.3, which is not included in the 95% confidence interval. This odds ratio was calculated as (presumed cumulative incidence of lymphoedema in intervention group/presumed cumulative incidence of no lymphoedema in intervention group)×(presumed cumulative incidence of no lymphoedema in control group/presumed cumulative incidence of lymphoedema in control group) or (10/90)×(70/30). CONCLUSION: Manual lymph drainage in addition to guidelines and exercise therapy after axillary lymph node dissection for breast cancer is unlikely to have a medium to large effect in reducing the incidence of arm lymphoedema in the short term. Trial registration Netherlands Trial Register No NTR 1055
Language
English
Source (journal)
British medical journal / British Medical Association. - London
Publication
London : 2011
ISSN
0959-8146 [International]
0959-8138 [Clinical research]
0959-8154 [General practice]
0959-535X [Compact]
1468-5833 [online]
DOI
10.1136/BMJ.D5326
Volume/pages
343 (2011) , p. 1-12
Article Reference
d5326
ISI
000294600500001
Medium
E-only publicatie
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
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Faculty/Department
Publication type
Subject
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 22.05.2015
Last edited 20.02.2023
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