Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41954717›Full record

ArticleJournal of cancer survivorship : research and practice2026

Prevention of breast cancer-related lymphedema by progressive resistance training - a long-term follow-up of a randomized controlled trial.

Gunn Ammitzbøll, Marie Lillegaard, Christoffer Johansen, Charlotte Lanng, Kathrine Grell, Niels Kroman, Bo Zerahn, Ole Hyldegaard, Merete Celano Wittenkamp, Susanne Oksbjerg Dalton

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Journal of cancer survivorship : research and practice, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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

10 authors.

Gunn AmmitzbøllSurvivorship Unit, Danish Cancer Institute, Strandboulevarden 49, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark. gunnam@cancer.dk.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3227-9475
Marie LillegaardSurvivorship Unit, Danish Cancer Institute, Strandboulevarden 49, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark.
Christoffer JohansenCASTLE Late Effects Unit, Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4384-206X
Charlotte LanngDepartment of Breast Surgery, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev/Gentofte, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Kathrine GrellStatistics and Data Analysis, Danish Cancer Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Niels KromanDepartment of Breast Surgery, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev/Gentofte, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6631-2993
Bo ZerahnDepartment of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3457-6249
Ole HyldegaardSection for Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment, Department for Anaesthetics and Operations, Center for Head and Orthopaedics, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1147-379X
Merete Celano WittenkampDepartment of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Copenhagen University Hospital Herlev and Gentofte, Copenhagen, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8164-1421
Susanne Oksbjerg DaltonSurvivorship Unit, Danish Cancer Institute, Strandboulevarden 49, Copenhagen, 2100, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5485-2730

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe risk of breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) causes much concern in survivorship, and preventive interventions are lacking. In a 3.5-year questionnaire follow-up after a randomized controlled trial, we examined prevention of BCRL by resistance training.

methodsPatients with primary unilateral breast cancer (BC) were included at surgery, randomized to usual care control (CON) or resistance training intervention (INT) commencing 2-3 weeks after surgery. The intervention comprised 20 weeks of supervised progressive resistance training followed by 30 weeks of self-administered exercise. We assessed swelling of the arm/hand, axilla or breast/chest, pain and quality of life (QOL) at baseline, 20 weeks, 1 year and 3.5 years using validated scales in mailed questionnaires.

resultsOf the 158 women in the trial, 84 (53%) answered the questionnaire. At the 3.5-year follow-up, swelling was reported by 18 (62%) and 21 (39%) in the CON and INT group, respectively, yielding lower odds for the INT group (OR 0.3, 95% CI 0.09; 0.88). Effects on pain and QOL diminished over time.

conclusionsThe long-term risk for self-reported BCRL was reduced for participants in early initiated resistance training compared to usual care control, for women with BC undergoing surgery, axillary lymph node dissection and radiotherapy. Limitations include a high attrition rate and studies with more complete follow-up and objective measurements are needed to confirm these results. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Early progressive resistance training in early physical rehabilitation after BC is safe and may be a potential long-term prevention strategy for BCRL.

Indexed as

Breast cancer–related lymphedemaRandomized controlled trialRehabilitationResistance trainingSurvivorship

Identifiers

PMID41954717

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.