Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25432632›Full record

SynthesisJournal of cancer survivorship : research and practice2015

Effect of low-level laser therapy on pain and swelling in women with breast cancer-related lymphedema: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Betty Smoot, Laura Chiavola-Larson, Jeannette Lee, Hidelisa Manibusan, Diane D Allen

Registry-linked trialAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07072780 (Effectiveness of a Novel Low-level Laser Therapy Protocol in Managing Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema), which is not on this map. Cited by 54 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
54citing papers in PubMed, 8 pooled it
3.0field-weighted citation impact, top 8% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07072780 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2023, after this paper: background citation

Effectiveness of a Novel Low-level Laser Therapy Protocol in Managing Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema

TypeinterventionalSponsorPusan National University HospitalRan2023 to 2024Enrolled46ConditionsBreast CancerArmsLow-Level Laser Therapy (904 nm), Low-Level Laser Therapy (650 nm), Sham Laser Therapy
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

54 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 107 citations in OpenAlex.

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  17. Long-pulsed 1064-nm neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser alleviates rosacea by improving lymphatic vessel dysfunction.Inflammation research : official journal of the European Histamine Research Society ... [et al.] · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Betty SmootGraduate Program in Physical Therapy, University of California San Francisco/San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA, Betty.smoot@ucsf.edu.
Laura Chiavola-Larson
Jeannette Lee
Hidelisa Manibusan
Diane D Allen
University of California, San Francisco · USDominican Hospital · US

Funding

Clinical and Transtional Science InstituteKL2TR000143 · NCATS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI GRANDIS, JENNIFER RUBIN · 2012 to 2015
$11.9M
UCSF/Kaiser-DOR Program for Developing Independent Women's Health ResearchersK12HD052163 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI ADLER, NANCY E, BRINDIS, CLAIRE D. · 2005 to 2023
$9.3M
NCATS NIH HHS KL2TR000143NICHD NIH HHS K12HD052163
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis study aims to examine literature on effectiveness of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) in reducing limb volume and pain in adults with breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL).

methodsPubMed, PEDro, CINAHL, and Cochrane databases were searched using (lymphedema OR edema OR swelling) AND (breast cancer OR mastectomy) AND (laser OR low-level laser therapy OR LLLT OR cold laser). Intervention studies or meta-analyses reporting LLLT for BCRL were included in the search. Pooled effect sizes (ES) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for volume and pain. No limitations were placed on length of follow-up, publication year, or language. Final search was conducted on October 16, 2014.

resultsNine studies met criteria for inclusion. Within-group pooled ES for volume (six studies) was -0.52 (-0.78, -0.25), representing a 75.7-ml reduction in limb volume after LLLT. Between-group pooled ES for volume (four studies) was -0.62 (-0.97, -0.28), representing a 90.9-ml greater reduction in volume with treatment including LLLT versus not including LLLT. Within-group pooled ES for pain reduction (three studies) was -0.62 (-1.06, -0.19), pain reduction of 13.5 mm (0-100 mm VAS). Between-group pooled ES for pain reduction (two studies) was non-significant at -1.21 (-4.51, 2.10).

conclusionModerate-strength evidence supports LLLT in the management of BCRL, with clinically relevant within-group reductions in volume and pain immediately after conclusion of LLLT treatments. Greater reductions in volume were found with the use of LLLT than in treatments without it. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: LLLT confers clinically meaningful reductions in arm volume and pain in women with BCRL.

Indexed as

Low-Level Light TherapySurvivorsAdultBreast NeoplasmsFemaleHumansLymphedemaMastectomyPainPain ManagementTreatment Outcome

Identifiers

PMID25432632
OpenAlexW2071611038

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.