Journal Article

A Randomized Trial Evaluating Bioimpedance Spectroscopy Versus Tape Measurement for the Prevention of Lymphedema Following Treatment for Breast Cancer: Interim Analysis

Ridner, Sheila H., Taback, Bret, Abramson, Vandana, Koelmeyer, Louise, Dietrich, Mary S., Moore, Andrew, Cowher, Michael S., Ajkay, Nicolas, Shah, Chirag, DeSnyder, Sarah M., Wagner, Jamie, McLaughlin, Sarah, Boyages, John

2019

Overview

Background Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) represents a major source of morbidity among breast cancer survivors. Increasing data support early detection of subclinical BCRL followed by early intervention. A randomized controlled trial is being conducted comparing lymphedema progression rates using volume measurements calculated from the circumference using a tape measure (TM) or bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS). Methods Patients were enrolled and randomized to either TM or BIS surveillance. Patients requiring early intervention were prescribed a compression sleeve and gauntlet for 4 weeks and then re-evaluated. The primary endpoint of the trial was the rate of progression to clinical lymphedema requiring complex decongestive physiotherapy (CDP), with progression defined as a TM volume change in the at-risk arm ≥ 10% above the presurgical baseline. This prespecified interim analysis was performed when at least 500 trial participants had ≥ 12 months of follow-up. Results A total of 508 patients were included in this analysis, with 109 (21.9%) patients triggering prethreshold interventions. Compared with TM, BIS had a lower rate of trigger (15.8% vs. 28.5%, p   <  0.001) and longer times to trigger (9.5 vs. 2.8 months, p   =  0.002). Twelve triggering patients progressed to CDP (10 in the TM group [14.7%] and 2 in the BIS group [4.9%]), representing a 67% relative reduction and a 9.8% absolute reduction ( p   =  0.130). Conclusions Interim results demonstrated that post-treatment surveillance with BIS reduced the absolute rates of progression of BCRL requiring CDP by approximately 10%, a clinically meaningful improvement. These results support the concept of post-treatment surveillance with BIS to detect subclinical BCRL and initiate early intervention.

• Publisher: Springer International Publishing,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Aged / Anthropometry - instrumentation / Arm - pathology / Breast cancer / Breast Cancer Lymphedema - diagnosis / Breast Cancer Lymphedema - etiology / Breast Cancer Lymphedema - prevention & control / Breast Neoplasms - complications / Breast Oncology / Cancer Survivors - statistics & numerical data / Compression / Dielectric Spectroscopy - methods / Early intervention / Female / Follow-Up Studies / Humans / Lymphedema / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / Middle Aged / Morbidity / Oncology / Patients / Prognosis / Spectroscopy / Spectrum analysis / Surgery / Surgical Oncology / Surveillance