Massage Therapy for Breast Cancer Treatment-Related Swelling of the Arms

The purpose of this study is to examine the short-term and long-term efficacy of massage therapy alone compared to massage therapy plus compression bandaging in the treatment of breast cancer treatment-related swelling of the arms and legs.

Condition	Intervention	Phase
Lymphedema	Procedure: Manual lymph drainage  Procedure: Combined physiotherapy  Procedure: Compression bandaging	Phase II

Further study details as provided by National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM):

Expected Total Enrollment:  88

Massage therapy (in the form of manual lymph drainage [MLD]) and compression bandaging (CB) are integral components of combined physical therapy (CPT), the recommended treatment for peripheral lymphedema (LE). According to the World Health Organization, LE afflicts hundreds of millions worldwide and probably millions in the United States. Effects of various forms of massage on lymph circulation have been postulated for more than a century, but the efficacy of MLD alone without CB has not been demonstrated. New data suggest that MLD alone reduces established LE volume as effectively as CB in combination with CPT and minimizes LE development.

Patients will be randomly assigned to either treatment with MLD alone or a combination of MLD and CB. Patients will be treated in 10 one-hour sessions over 2 weeks. They will also undergo lymphangioscintigraphy (a nuclear medicine test) to depict the function of their lymphatic system. Patients will continue self treatment at home and will be followed for 6 months.

Genders Eligible for Study:  Both

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Lymphedema (5% to 20% increase in volume) after breast cancer treatment

Exclusion Criteria:

• Physically unable to perform massage or bandaging during home program

Please refer to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov identifier  NCT00058851

Arizona
      University of Arizona, Tucson,  Arizona,  85724,  United States; Recruiting

Study chairs or principal investigators

Marlys Witte, MD,  Principal Investigator,  University of Arizona   

Study ID Numbers:  1 R21 AT01326-01
Last Updated:  March 16, 2006
Record first received:  April 14, 2003
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:  NCT00058851
Health Authority: United States: Federal Government

 

Find a Massage Therapist  (American Massage Therapy Association)

Massage Therapy  (Patient Education Institute)