The Effectiveness of Prophylactic Compression Sleeves in Reducing the Risk of Lymphedema in Patients Who Receive Breast Cancer Surgery: A Systematic Review.

Sarah Shahid, Amanda Moerahoe, Gabriel Boldt, Allison Maciver

Abstract readSystematic Review

In one paragraph

Synthesis in Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

0citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

4 authors.

Sarah ShahidDepartment of Surgery, St. Josephs Hospital, London, ON N6A 4V2, Canada.

Amanda MoerahoeUniversity Health Network, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, ON M5G 2C4, Canada.

Gabriel BoldtDepartments of Surgery Oncology, London Health Science Centre, London, ON N6A 5W9, Canada.

Allison MaciverDepartments of Surgery and Oncology, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada.ORCID 0009-0006-3799-9630

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Lymphedema is a common complication after breast cancer surgery, often causing functional limitations and reduced quality of life. Prophylactic compression sleeves have been suggested as a preventive strategy, but their effectiveness remains unclear. We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials to evaluate whether early use of compression sleeves lowers the risk of lymphedema in this population. Comprehensive searches of major medical databases were performed, and eligible studies were analyzed. The findings showed that prophylactic compression sleeves did not significantly reduce the incidence of lymphedema compared with standard care. Some studies reported smaller increases in arm volume among sleeve users, but these results were inconsistent. Overall, compression sleeves appear to have limited value for lymphedema prevention, though they may provide modest benefit in reducing early swelling. Further high-quality research is needed to establish clear recommendations for clinical practice.

Indexed as

Breast Cancer LymphedemaBreast NeoplasmsCompression BandagesLymphedemaMastectomyFemaleHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as Topicbreast cancer surgerycompression sleeveslymphedema preventionprophylactic therapysystematic review

Identifiers

PMID41440188

DOI10.3390/curroncol32120660

PMCPMC12731856

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY

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Registered trials

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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.