Early Detection of Lymphedema After Cancer Treatments

April 9, 2015 updated by: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Saint Pierre

Early Detection of Secondary Lymphedema After Cancer Treatments

Many clinical situations in oncologic surgery imply the need to dissect more or less extensively lymph node stations which are in direct relation with the lymphatic drainage of the anatomical region affected by cancer.

The dissected lymph nodes drain generally several regions, and their dissection reduces then the drainage capacity of all these regions, increasing the risk for the patient to develop a secondary lymphedema, shorter or longer after surgery.

Efficient treatments exist, but are difficult to implement and to continue for a long time.The later the treatment of the lymphedema begins, the heavier it is, both on the medical and socio-economic level.

The lymphofluoroscopy, shows that some oncologic patients, operated and free of apparent secondary lymphedema, present abnormalities of the lymphatic network.

The present study aims to confirm that it is now possible to detect secondary lymphedema at a subclinical stage.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Unknown

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Many clinical situations in oncologic surgery imply the need to dissect more or less extensively lymph node stations which are in direct relation with the lymphatic drainage of the anatomical region affected by cancer.

The dissected lymph nodes drain generally several regions, and their dissection reduces then the drainage capacity of all these regions, increasing the risk for the patient to develop a secondary lymphedema, shorter or longer after surgery.

The recent meta-analysis show that nearly 15% of patient operated for a cancer with lymph node dissection develop after 27 months from surgery a lymphedema of the limb corresponding to the operated region.

Radio- and chemotherapy may especially encumber the already reduced lymphatic capacity.

The impact on the health and the quality of life of the patient is very significant on the physical and psychological aspect, but also on social and economic aspect.

Efficient treatments exist, but are difficult to implement and to continue for a long time. They are considered as serious diseases which are expensive for the INAMI. Lymphedema is a chronic disease which needs repeated and continued treatments. The later the treatment of the lymphedema begins, the heavier it is, both on the medical and socio-economic level. Some patients even lose their job because of their functional infirmity.

Here the investigators remind that lymphedema is painless, even in its most spectacular cases.

Still currently, a lymphedema is diagnosed after it has developed, and only when the functional discomfort, or the physical appearance disturb the patient enough to go to consultation.

The lymphofluoroscopy (new emerging imaging technique in the field of lymphology) used since 3 years by the promoters of the present project, shows that some oncologic patients, operated and free of apparent secondary lymphedema, present abnormalities of the lymphatic network. These patients report heaviness sensations or sporadic paraesthesia which generally does not arouse suspicion of beginning lymphedema.

The present prospective, multidisciplinary and multicentric clinical study aims to confirm that it is now possible to detect secondary lymphedema at a subclinical stage. In a second step, prevention will be considered. Detection may be performed using a simple lymphofluoroscopic examination, which is a minimally invasive and inexpensive imaging technique. It allows to realize a mapping of the superficial lymphatic network and to identify the characteristics of the secondary lymphedema in the group of patients at risk to develop lymphedema after lymph node dissection.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
120

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • Belgium
      • Brussels, Belgium, 1000
        • Recruiting
        • CHU St-Pierre - Clinique de Lymphologie
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Liesbeth Vandermeeren, MD

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients who will undergo lymphadenectomy (either large lymphadenectomy or sentinel lymph node biopsy) for oncologic reason (gynaecologic, urologic or mammary cancer, melanoma and other skin cancer) without measurable or observable limb lymphedema.
  • Informed consent form signed.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Allergy to iodine.
  • Incapaciy to give informed consent.
  • < 18 years.
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
  • Coronary disease.
  • Advanced renal impairment.
  • Hyperthyroidism.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: PREVENTION
  • Allocation: NA
  • Interventional Model: SINGLE_GROUP
  • Masking: NONE

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
EXPERIMENTAL: lymphofluoroscopy
Indocyanine Green intradermal injection before surgery, and after 3, 6 and 12 monthes
Drug: Indocyanine Green
visualization of the architecture of superficial lymphatic network after Indocyanine Green injection
Other Names:
  • ICG

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Time Frame
number of lymphatic vessels visualized
Time Frame: 12 monthes
12 monthes

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Saint Pierre

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Liesbeth Vandermeeren, MD, CHU ST-Pierre

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 2014

Primary Completion (ANTICIPATED)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 1, 2017

Study Completion (ANTICIPATED)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 1, 2018

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 27, 2015

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 9, 2015

First Posted (ESTIMATE)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
April 14, 2015

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 14, 2015

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 9, 2015

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
March 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2LEED-ICG

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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