Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30729334›Full record

ArticleSupportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer2019

Combined decongestive therapy and reduction of pain and heaviness in patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema.

Zahra Sheikhi Mobarakeh, Parisa Mokhtari-Hesari, Masomeh Lotfi-Tokaldany, Ali Montazeri, Mahnaz Heidari, Fatemeh Zekri

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 17 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
17citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 13% 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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

17 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 35 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Pain and lymphedema characteristics of women with breast cancer-related lymphedema with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025
    Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Article
  9. Review
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Review
  14. Review
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Review
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

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Zahra Sheikhi MobarakehQuality of life Department, Breast Cancer Research Center, Motamed Cancer Institute, ACECR, No.146, South Gandi Ave, Vanak Sq, Tehran, 1517964311, Iran.
Parisa Mokhtari-HesariQuality of life Department, Breast Cancer Research Center, Motamed Cancer Institute, ACECR, No.146, South Gandi Ave, Vanak Sq, Tehran, 1517964311, Iran.
Masomeh Lotfi-TokaldanyResearch Department, Tehran Heart Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Jalal Al Ahmad and North Kargar Cross, Tehran, 1411713138, Iran. lotfi21366@yahoo.co.uk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8222-8794
Ali MontazeriPopulation Health Research Group, Health Metrics Research Center, Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
Mahnaz HeidariLymphedema Clinic, Breast Cancer Research Center, Motamed Cancer Institute, ACECR, No.146, South Gandi Ave, Vanak Sq, Tehran, 1517964311, Iran.
Fatemeh ZekriLymphedema Clinic, Breast Cancer Research Center, Motamed Cancer Institute, ACECR, No.146, South Gandi Ave, Vanak Sq, Tehran, 1517964311, Iran.
Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research · IRTehran University of Medical Sciences · IR

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeWe aimed to determine the effectiveness of combined decongestive therapy (CDT) and the minimum sessions required to significantly reduce pain and heaviness in patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema.

methodsA sample of 169 patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema underwent CDT, 5 days/week for a total of 3 to 4 weeks. Self-reported pain and heaviness was quantified on a separate visual analog scale (VAS) prior to CDT and after 3, 5, 7, 10, and 15 sessions. Scores derived from VASs were categorized into three categories: mild (score < 4), moderate (score = 4-6), and severe (score > 6). Downward transition for at least one category in severity of each parameter was considered as an improvement. Repeated measure analysis of variance was conducted to test the effect of time on the severities of pain and heaviness while age, afflicted side with lymphedema, history of chemotherapy, and radiotherapy were considered as covariates.

resultsThe mean age of patients was 52.66 ± 12.20 years. In all 132 patients, out of 169 patients (71.3%) reported pain and 155 patients (83.7%) reported heaviness at baseline. However, after intervention, the cumulative percentage of patients with at least a one category reduction in pain and heaviness was 86.4% and 83%, respectively. At least seven sessions of CDT were shown to be sufficient in alleviating the severity of the symptoms in greater than 83% of patients.

conclusionsThe combined decongestive therapy significantly reduced the intensities of pain and heaviness in patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema.

Indexed as

Breast Cancer LymphedemaBreast NeoplasmsCancer PainFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMiddle AgedPain ManagementPain MeasurementBreast cancerCombined decongestive therapyLymphedemaPain

Identifiers

PMID30729334
OpenAlexW2912873826

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.