Prophylactic Use of Compression Sleeves Reduces the Incidence of Arm Swelling in Women at High Risk of Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This randomised controlled trial (n=307) investigated the use of prophylactic compression sleeves to prevent arm swelling post-axillary lymph node dissection. The compression sleeves were used until 3 months after completing adjuvant treatments. Arm swelling was measured using bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) and relative arm volume increase (RAVI). Hazard ratio for developing arm swelling in the compression group relative to the control group was 0.61 (p=0.004) using BIS and 0.56 (p=0.034) using RAVI. The estimated cumulative incidence of arm swelling was lower in the compression group using BIS (42% vs. 52%) and RAVI (14% vs. 25%) measurements. Therefore, prophylactic compression sleeves reduced arm swelling in women at high risk of lymphodema in the first year after breast cancer surgery.

Classifications: Post Treatment Surveillance & Care

Keywords: Lymphoedema