Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 22, 2025
Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Breast Cancer-related Lymphedema
Published on: January 12, 2017
Randomized Trial Assessing Prospective Surveillance and Exercise for Preventing Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema in
Karol Ramírez-Parada1, Cesar Sánchez2, Irene Cantarero-Villanueva3
1Departamento de Kinesiología, Escuela Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Centro para la prevención y el control del cáncer, CECAN, Santiago, Chile.
Combining prospective surveillance model (PSM) with supervised exercise significantly prevents breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) and improves quality of life in high-risk patients. This approach enhances functional capacity and reduces arm volume compared to PSM alone.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Physical Therapy
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a common complication affecting patient quality of life.
- High-risk breast cancer patients undergoing treatment require effective management strategies to prevent BCRL and maintain functional capacity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate if combining a prospective surveillance model (PSM) with a supervised multimodal exercise program prevents BCRL.
- To assess the impact of this combined approach on functional capacity and quality of life (QoL) in high-risk breast cancer (BC) patients.
Main Methods:
- A two-arm parallel superiority randomized controlled trial was conducted with 116 adult women diagnosed with stage I-III BC.
- Participants received either PSM with a supervised multimodal exercise program (experimental group) or PSM alone (control group) for 12 weeks.
- Outcomes including arm volume, grip strength, 6-minute walk test, and QoL were assessed blindly at multiple time points.
Main Results:
- The experimental group showed a significant reduction in arm volume and body weight compared to the control group.
- Improvements were observed in grip strength, functional capacity (6-minute walk test), and QoL in the combined intervention group.
- The combination of PSM and supervised exercise demonstrated superiority over PSM alone in preventing BCRL and improving patient outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Combining PSM with a supervised multimodal exercise program is effective in preventing BCRL in high-risk breast cancer patients.
- This integrated approach significantly improves physical performance and quality of life.
- The study validates the superiority of the combined intervention for managing BCRL risk and enhancing patient well-being.
