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Early Intervention with a Compression Sleeve in Mild Breast Cancer-Related Arm Lymphedema : A 12-Month Prospective Observational Study

Johansson, Karin LU ; Blom, Katarina LU ; Nilsson-Wikmar, Lena and Brogårdh, Christina LU (2023) In Cancers 15(10).
Abstract

Background: In our previous randomized controlled trial (RCT), the progression/no progression of mild breast cancer-related arm lymphedema (BCRL) was examined among women randomized to a compression group (CG) with a compression sleeve (compression class (ccl) 1) or not (NCG) for 6 months. In the present prospective study, BCRL in the CG and NCG was followed for 12 months. Methods: At the end of the RCT, 33 women with mild BCRL were eligible in the CG and 37 in the NCG. The proportional differences in no progression/progression of BCRL were defined as a >2% increase from start of RCT or exceeding 10% in the lymphedema relative volume as measured by the water displacement method. In addition, changes in the lymphedema relative volume... (More)

Background: In our previous randomized controlled trial (RCT), the progression/no progression of mild breast cancer-related arm lymphedema (BCRL) was examined among women randomized to a compression group (CG) with a compression sleeve (compression class (ccl) 1) or not (NCG) for 6 months. In the present prospective study, BCRL in the CG and NCG was followed for 12 months. Methods: At the end of the RCT, 33 women with mild BCRL were eligible in the CG and 37 in the NCG. The proportional differences in no progression/progression of BCRL were defined as a >2% increase from start of RCT or exceeding 10% in the lymphedema relative volume as measured by the water displacement method. In addition, changes in the lymphedema relative volume and tissue dielectric constant ratio, which measures local tissue water, were examined. At the end of the RCT (i.e., after 6 months), a one-month break of the compression treatment was made in the CG. If the lymphedema relative volume progressed by definition, the compression treatment was resumed and continued, with follow-up of all women at 9 and 12 months. Results: A larger proportion of women in the NCG showed progression (57%, 61%, 67%) compared to the CG (16%, 22%, 31%) at 6, 9, and 12 months (p < 0.001, 0.005, 0.012), respectively. Twelve (33%) women in the NCG did not progress at all. No changes of the lymphedema relative volume and local tissue water were found over time at any follow-ups, but were stable on a low level. Conclusions: To avoid the progression of mild BCRL into a chronic issue in the long-term, compression sleeve ccl 1 may be applied immediately after early diagnosis of mild BCRL.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
breast cancer, clinical research, lymphedema, prevention, treatment
in
Cancers
volume
15
issue
10
article number
2674
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • pmid:37345010
  • scopus:85160599564
ISSN
2072-6694
DOI
10.3390/cancers15102674
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
e6f8ce80-8159-4db9-8cec-9e116a06cbd1
date added to LUP
2023-08-22 13:32:09
date last changed
2024-04-20 01:15:40
@article{e6f8ce80-8159-4db9-8cec-9e116a06cbd1,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: In our previous randomized controlled trial (RCT), the progression/no progression of mild breast cancer-related arm lymphedema (BCRL) was examined among women randomized to a compression group (CG) with a compression sleeve (compression class (ccl) 1) or not (NCG) for 6 months. In the present prospective study, BCRL in the CG and NCG was followed for 12 months. Methods: At the end of the RCT, 33 women with mild BCRL were eligible in the CG and 37 in the NCG. The proportional differences in no progression/progression of BCRL were defined as a &gt;2% increase from start of RCT or exceeding 10% in the lymphedema relative volume as measured by the water displacement method. In addition, changes in the lymphedema relative volume and tissue dielectric constant ratio, which measures local tissue water, were examined. At the end of the RCT (i.e., after 6 months), a one-month break of the compression treatment was made in the CG. If the lymphedema relative volume progressed by definition, the compression treatment was resumed and continued, with follow-up of all women at 9 and 12 months. Results: A larger proportion of women in the NCG showed progression (57%, 61%, 67%) compared to the CG (16%, 22%, 31%) at 6, 9, and 12 months (p &lt; 0.001, 0.005, 0.012), respectively. Twelve (33%) women in the NCG did not progress at all. No changes of the lymphedema relative volume and local tissue water were found over time at any follow-ups, but were stable on a low level. Conclusions: To avoid the progression of mild BCRL into a chronic issue in the long-term, compression sleeve ccl 1 may be applied immediately after early diagnosis of mild BCRL.</p>}},
  author       = {{Johansson, Karin and Blom, Katarina and Nilsson-Wikmar, Lena and Brogårdh, Christina}},
  issn         = {{2072-6694}},
  keywords     = {{breast cancer; clinical research; lymphedema; prevention; treatment}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{10}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Cancers}},
  title        = {{Early Intervention with a Compression Sleeve in Mild Breast Cancer-Related Arm Lymphedema : A 12-Month Prospective Observational Study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cancers15102674}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/cancers15102674}},
  volume       = {{15}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}