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Updated: Jul 26, 2025
Integrating Augmented Reality Tools in Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema Prognostication and Diagnosis
Published on: February 6, 2020
Efficacy of Immediate Lymphatic Reconstruction to Decrease Incidence of Breast Cancer-related Lymphedema: Preliminary
Michelle Coriddi1, Joseph Dayan1, Emily Bloomfield1
1Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY.
Objective:
To conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) on the efficacy of immediate lymphatic reconstruction (ILR) for decreasing the incidence of breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) after axillary lymph node dissection (ALND).
Background:
Despite encouraging results in small studies, an appropriately powered RCT on ILR has not been performed.
Methods:
Women undergoing ALND for breast cancer were randomized in the operating room 1:1 to either ILR, if technically feasible, or no ILR (control). The ILR group underwent lymphatic anastomosis to a regional vein using microsurgical techniques; control group had no repair and cut lymphatics were ligated. Relative volume change (RVC), bioimpedance, quality of life (QoL), and compression use were evaluated at baseline and every 6 months postoperatively up to 24 months. Indocyanine green (ICG) lymphography was performed at baseline and 12 and 24 months postoperatively. The primary outcome was the incidence of BCRL, defined as ≥10% RVC from baseline in the affected extremity at 12-, 18-, or 24-month follow-up.
Results:
Of 72 patients randomized to ILR and 72 to control from January 2020 to March 2023, our preliminary analysis includes 99 patients with 12-month follow-up, 70 with 18-month follow-up, and 40 with 24-month follow-up. The cumulative incidence of BCRL was 9.5% in the ILR group and 32% in the control group ( P =0.014). The ILR group had lower bioimpedance values, decreased compression usage, better lymphatic function on ICG lymphography, and better QoL than the control group.
Conclusions:
Preliminary results of our RCT show that ILR after ALND decreases BCRL incidence. Our goal is to finish the accrual of 174 patients with 24-month follow-up.
