Abstract
Background: We investigated the comparability of Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT) including manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) vs. without MLD in the management of arm lymphoedema in patients with breast cancer. Methods: Patients randomised into either treatment including MLD (T+MLD) or treatment without MLD (T−MLD) received treatment 2×weekly for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was the volume reduction (%) of arm lymphoedema at 7-month follow-up. The secondary outcomes were volume reduction after the end of treatment, circumference of the arm, patient experience of heaviness and tension, and health status. Results: Despite difficulties enrolling the planned number of patients (160), 77 were randomised and 73 (38 in T+MLD, 35 in T−MLD) completed the trial. In both groups, the volume of lymphoedema decreased significantly, with no difference between groups (1.0% [95% CI, −4.3;2.3%]): the precision in the 95% confidence interval indicates that the efficacy was comparable; the mean (SE) changes at month 7 were −6.8%(1.2) and −5.7% (1.2) in the T+MLD and T−MLD, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences with respect to any of the secondary outcomes. The results were robust and the conclusion was not sensitive even to various alternative assumptions or analytic approaches to data analysis. Conclusion: Manual lymphatic drainage adds no further volume reduction in breast cancer patients.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | British Journal of Cancer |
| Volume | 119 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1215–1222 |
| ISSN | 0007-0920 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 13. Nov 2018 |
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Manual lymphatic drainage adds no further volume reduction to Complete Decongestive Therapy on breast cancer-related lymphoedema : a multicentre, randomised, single-blind trial. / Tambour, Mette; Holt, Marianne; Speyer, Anette; Christensen, Robin; Gram, Bibi.
In: British Journal of Cancer, Vol. 119, No. 10, 13.11.2018, p. 1215–1222.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Manual lymphatic drainage adds no further volume reduction to Complete Decongestive Therapy on breast cancer-related lymphoedema
T2 - a multicentre, randomised, single-blind trial
AU - Tambour, Mette
AU - Holt, Marianne
AU - Speyer, Anette
AU - Christensen, Robin
AU - Gram, Bibi
PY - 2018/11/13
Y1 - 2018/11/13
N2 - Background: We investigated the comparability of Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT) including manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) vs. without MLD in the management of arm lymphoedema in patients with breast cancer. Methods: Patients randomised into either treatment including MLD (T+MLD) or treatment without MLD (T−MLD) received treatment 2×weekly for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was the volume reduction (%) of arm lymphoedema at 7-month follow-up. The secondary outcomes were volume reduction after the end of treatment, circumference of the arm, patient experience of heaviness and tension, and health status. Results: Despite difficulties enrolling the planned number of patients (160), 77 were randomised and 73 (38 in T+MLD, 35 in T−MLD) completed the trial. In both groups, the volume of lymphoedema decreased significantly, with no difference between groups (1.0% [95% CI, −4.3;2.3%]): the precision in the 95% confidence interval indicates that the efficacy was comparable; the mean (SE) changes at month 7 were −6.8%(1.2) and −5.7% (1.2) in the T+MLD and T−MLD, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences with respect to any of the secondary outcomes. The results were robust and the conclusion was not sensitive even to various alternative assumptions or analytic approaches to data analysis. Conclusion: Manual lymphatic drainage adds no further volume reduction in breast cancer patients.
AB - Background: We investigated the comparability of Complete Decongestive Therapy (CDT) including manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) vs. without MLD in the management of arm lymphoedema in patients with breast cancer. Methods: Patients randomised into either treatment including MLD (T+MLD) or treatment without MLD (T−MLD) received treatment 2×weekly for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was the volume reduction (%) of arm lymphoedema at 7-month follow-up. The secondary outcomes were volume reduction after the end of treatment, circumference of the arm, patient experience of heaviness and tension, and health status. Results: Despite difficulties enrolling the planned number of patients (160), 77 were randomised and 73 (38 in T+MLD, 35 in T−MLD) completed the trial. In both groups, the volume of lymphoedema decreased significantly, with no difference between groups (1.0% [95% CI, −4.3;2.3%]): the precision in the 95% confidence interval indicates that the efficacy was comparable; the mean (SE) changes at month 7 were −6.8%(1.2) and −5.7% (1.2) in the T+MLD and T−MLD, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences with respect to any of the secondary outcomes. The results were robust and the conclusion was not sensitive even to various alternative assumptions or analytic approaches to data analysis. Conclusion: Manual lymphatic drainage adds no further volume reduction in breast cancer patients.
U2 - 10.1038/s41416-018-0306-4
DO - 10.1038/s41416-018-0306-4
M3 - Journal article
VL - 119
SP - 1215
EP - 1222
JO - B J C
JF - B J C
SN - 0007-0920
IS - 10
ER -