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Annals of Oncology 2:575-578, 1991
© 1991 European Society for Medical Oncology

research-article

Original article: Conservative treatment of postmastectomy lymphedema: A controlled, randomized trial

G. Bertelli, M Venturini, G. Forno, F. Macchiavello and D. Dini

National Institute for Cancer Research, Dept. of Rehabilitation Genova, Italy

Correspondence to: Dario Dini, M.D., Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, V. le Benedetto XV, 10, 16132 Genova, Italy

A controlled, randomized trial was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of a new conservative treatment for postmastectomy lymphedema. Seventy-four patients were randomized to wear only an elastic sleeve for six months (group A) or to receive additionally an induction treatment with electrically stimulated lymphatic drainage (group B). The evaluation of results was focused not only on the mean variations in limb measurements in the two groups, but also on the frequency of clinically significant reductions of lymphedema (i.e., at least 25% compared to the initial values). A mean reduction of limb girth of about 17% was obtained in both groups, without significant differences between the two treatments. An ‘objective response’, however, was not achieved by the majority of patients. On the other hand, compliance to therapy was good and a significant result could be obtained simply and economically also in the group of patients treated only with the elastic sleeve.

breast cancer, electrically stimulated drainage, elastic sleeve, postmastectomy lymphedema, randomized trials


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