Research Information System
47th Congress of European Society of Lymphology, İstanbul, Turkey, 30 May - 02 June 2024, pp.16, (Summary Text)
Objectives:
This
study present the feasibility of digital combined decongestive therapy in breast
cancer-related lymphedema. At the same time, our study aims to reveal the short
and long-term effects of digital combined decongestive therapy.
Background:
Breast
cancer patients are at high risk for the development of breast cancer-related
lymphedema due to axillary lymph node dissection and radiotherapy. Breast
cancer-related lymphedema may occur immediately after treatment or may occur
years later. Breast cancer-related lymphedema treatment involves intensive combined
decongestive therapy followed by long-term maintenance. Digital implementation
of combined decongestive therapy is a method that aims to demonstrate its
potential to provide a cost-effective, safe and at the same time measurable
tool for breast cancer-related lymphedema patients.
Methods:
The
study population consisted of breast cancer patients who were admitted to the
outpatient clinic due to upper extremity lymphedema. The circumferences of the
extremities were measured by a trained physiotherapist, by marking reference
points at 4-cm intervals from the ulnar styloid to the axillary region, using a
standard tape measure. In first face-to-face session, patients received a basic
introduction to skin care and risk reduction training. In this session, self-bandaging
technique and self-manual lymphatic drainage technique was demonstrated while
the caregiver videotaped it. At the same time, decongestive and breathing
exercises were taught to the patient and caregiver. After the first
face-to-face session, treatment was supervised with the help of electronic
information and telecommunication technologies for 4 weeks. Following the
intensive treatment phase, maintenance therapy commenced, which included the
implementation of compression stockings. Breast cancer-related lymphedema patients
were re-evaluated for follow-up after 12 weeks.
Results:
Total
of 29 breast cancer-related lymphedema patients were included in the study
(mean age=54.17±11.10 years). The mean pre-treatment extremity volume was 2998.06±930.61
mL. After digital combined decongestive therapy, the mean extremity volume was
2792.78±870.86 mL. There was a significant positive change in extremity volume
in the patients after treatment (p<0.001). The mean extremity volume at
follow-up was 2692.63±693.81 mL. There was also a significant positive change
in the extremity volumes of the patients in the follow-up compared to the
post-treatment (p<0.05).
Conclusions:
Our
results revealed that digital combined decongestive therapy was effective in extremity
volume reduction for breast cancer-related lymphedema. Following maintenance
therapy, there was also a noticeable reduction in extremity volume. In
conclusion, digital combined decongestive therapy was found to be a usable
method for patients who cannot participate in face-to-face therapy due to
financial or transportation reasons.
Keywords:
breast
cancer-related lymphedema, combined decongestive therapy, caregiver, self-management