Trial reportCancer2021
A randomized study to prevent lymphedema in women treated for breast cancer: CALGB 70305 (Alliance).
Trial report in Cancer, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled 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.
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.
Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 35 citations in OpenAlex.
- Non-pharmacological therapies for breast cancer-related lymphedema: a systematic review and network meta-analysis based on randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in oncology · 2026Pooled it
- Efficacy of physical therapy for prevention and treatment of postoperative lymphedema in breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in oncology · 2026Pooled it
- Compression sleeves for prevention and treatment of breast cancer-related lymphedema: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Breast cancer research and treatment · 2025Pooled it
- The Effectiveness of Prophylactic Compression Sleeves in Reducing the Risk of Lymphedema in Patients Who Receive Breast Cancer Surgery: A Systematic Review.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2025Pooled it
- Current evidence on patient precautions for reducing breast cancer-related lymphedema manifestation and progression risks.Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) · 2024Pooled it
- Experiences of breast cancer survivors with lymphedema self-management: a systematic review of qualitative studies.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2023Pooled it
- Patient education for breast cancer-related lymphedema: a systematic review.Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice · 2023Pooled it
- Feasibility of a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial Examining a Multidimensional Intervention in Women with Gynecological Cancer at Risk of Lymphedema.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2021Trial
- The impact of early exercise intervention on the incidence and severity of lymphedema following axillary lymph node dissection in breast cancer.Gland surgery · 2026Article
- Impact of internet-based nursing interventions on the prevention of postoperative lymphedema in breast cancer patients: a cohort study.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025Article
- The effect of compression therapies and therapeutic modalities on lymphedema secondary to cancer: a rapid review and evidence map.Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) · 2024Review
- Advances in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer-related lymphedema.Breast cancer research and treatment · 2023Review
- Article
- Conservative interventions and clinical outcome measures used in the perioperative rehabilitation of breast cancer patients undergoing mastectomy: a scoping review.BMC women's health · 2022Article
- Prediction of breast cancer-related lymphedema by dermal backflow detected with near-infrared fluorescence lymphatic imaging.Breast cancer research and treatment · 2022Observational
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
16 authors at 9 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundLymphedema affects many women who are treated for breast cancer. We examined the effectiveness of an education-only (EO) versus education plus sleeve compression/exercise intervention (lymphedema education and prevention [LEAP]) on lymphedema incidence and range of motion (ROM) in a group-randomized trial across 38 cooperative group sites.
methodsThe treating institution was randomly assigned to either EO or LEAP by a study statistician. All patients at a treating institution participated in the same intervention (EO or LEAP) to minimize contamination bias. Participants completed surveys, arm volume measurements, and self-reported ROM assessments before surgery and at 12 and 18 months after surgery. Lymphedema was defined as a ≥10% difference in limb volume at any time post-surgery up to 18 months after surgery or diagnosis by a health provider. Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests were used to compare lymphedema-free rates between groups, stratified by lymph node surgery type. Self-reported ROM differences were compared between groups.
resultsA total of 554 participants (56% LEAP) were included in the analyses. At 18 months, lymphedema-free rates were 58% (EO) versus 55% (LEAP) (P = .37). ROM for both arms was greater in LEAP versus EO at 12 months; by 18 months, most women reported full ROM, regardless of group. In LEAP, only one-third wore a sleeve ≥75% of the time; 50% performed lymphedema exercises at least weekly.
conclusionLymphedema incidence did not differ by intervention group at 18 months. Poor adherence in the LEAP group may have contributed. However, physical therapy may speed recovery of ROM. Further research is needed to effectively reduce the incidence and severity of lymphedema in patients who have breast cancer.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
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.