Use of Stem Cells in Lymphedema Post Mastectomy (SCL)

Postoperative Lymphedema Treatment in Upper Extremities Following Axillary Lymphadenectomy by Transplanting Autologous Endothelial Progenitor Cells (EPC)

The post-mastectomy lymphedema is a complication of removal of the breast and nodal plexus that causes accumulation of lymph and subsequent enlargement of the upper limb. It is the most common complication of all attributable to mastectomy with axillary dissection and which occurs in one third of patients who undergo radical mastectomy and radiotherapy post-operation. Currently the treatment of lymphedema of the upper limb is mainly the use of compression stockings, the use of pneumatic compression pumps and physiotherapy.

Multiple reports indicate that endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) can differentiate into various cell lines, reproduced and participate in neoangiogenesis. This study was conducted in the General Surgery Service, of the Hospital Universitario "Dr. José Eleuterio González "and proposes the EPC obtained autologous transplantation of bone marrow for the treatment of postoperative lymphedema in upper limb following axillary lymphadenectomy through the stimulation of lymphatic neoangiogenesis. The investigators studied 20 female patients over 18 years after axillary lymphadenectomy. The objective is to develop an innovative and definitive treatment for these patients and to analyze the costs and complications that this treatment may have.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

Phase 1:

The procedure will be as follows:

10 patients were recruited in the General Surgery or Oncology meeting the inclusion criteria. During the study, patients can´t use any other kind of treatment for the lymphedema.

Visit 1: We explain the procedure by inviting patients to participate after signing informed consent. There will be a complete medical history, review of inclusion and exclusion criteria, signing a letter of informed consent, be requested general laboratory tests (blood count, biochemical profile), tele-ray.

Visit 2: Initiation colony stimulating factor (Filgrastim SC) to 300 micrograms per day for 3 consecutive days.

Visit 3: Conduct a puncture and bone marrow harvesting under local anesthesia of the posterior iliac crest with Jamshidi needle to aspirate (approximately 50 - 100ml). The product obtained will be centrifuged in a refrigerated centrifuge at 3500 Sigma EK15 ® rpm/15 minutes to 8 ° C with HES 6% (pentastarch 6g/100ml) to obtain the mononuclear cell layer. Once the cells were obtained will be transported to the operating room to manage the patient by intramuscular injection of 0.5 to 1 ml in 30 to 50 sites of the affected limb with a depth of about one centimeter, using a needle number 25. The administration will take place in the operating room under local anesthesia or sedation if necessary.

Visit 4 and subsequent: clinical evaluation will be conducted each week, especially data monitoring of infection in the puncture sites. At week 12 post-cell infusion, the latest revision will be made and carried out measurements in both arms to conclude and determine the outcome of treatment.

Phase 2 (Control group):

Another 10 patients with lymphedema will be included in a 6 week study to compare the most common treatment of the lymphedema, the compressed sleeves.

Visit 1: A complete medical history will be performed. A compression sleeve will be given to the patients for their use during the next 2 weeks.

Visit 2 and 3: On week 2 and 3 of the compression sleeve treatment, the patients will be measured in both upper extremities as well as assess the symptoms or not that patients present.

Visit 4 and 5: Patients will stop using the compression sleeve treatment for the next 2 weeks measured both upper extremities and interrogate patients about symptoms during this period.

Visit 6 and 7: The last 2 weeks of the study patients will be asked to restart the compressed sleeves treatment and measured both upper extremities and interrogate patients about symptoms presented during this stage of the study.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

20

Phase

  • Phase 2
  • Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Locations

    • Nuevo León
      • Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, 64810
        • Hospital Universitario Dr Jose Eleuterio Gonzalez

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

Ages Eligible for Study

16 years to 73 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion criteria:

  • Patients with postsurgical lymphedema in upper extremities following axillary lymphadenectomy.
  • Female gender.
  • Age over 18 years.
  • Patients who wish to participate in the study.
  • Informed consent signed.

Exclusion criteria:

  • Patients with hypercoagulable states.
  • Patients with a history of obstructive vascular disease in the brain, kidneys or heart.
  • Patients with congestive heart failure (ejection fraction less than 30%)
  • Active infectious process, serious, anywhere in the body.
  • Patients over 75 years of age.

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: Treatment
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Patients with stem cells
Patients that receive the stem cells treatment
Patients will be stimulated 3 days with Filgrastrim 300 micrograms per day. On the 4th day the autologous transplant of stem cells will be performed.
Other Names:
  • Stem Cells transplant
Active Comparator: Compressed sleeve treatment
Patients that will receive the compressed sleeve treatment

Week 1-2: With compressed sleeve treatment.

Week 3 -4: Without treatment.

Week 5 - 6: With compressed sleeve treatment

Other Names:
  • Compressive sleeve treatment

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Determine if the stem cells are effective in patients with lymphedema with the decreased of the volume of the affected limb and improvement of the symptomatology.
Time Frame: 3 months

Patients will be measured in 4 different areas of both arms with a tape measure, before the transplant and weekly after the transplant for 3 months.

Measure 1: 10 cm over the epicondyle. Measure 2: 5 cm over the the epicondyle. Measure 3: 5 cm under the the epicondyle. Measure 4: 15 cm under the the epicondyle Also a questionnaire of the most common symptoms will be given to the patients to mark their own symptoms before the transplant and 3 months after the transplant.

3 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Participants with Adverse Events as a Measure of Safety and Tolerability.
Time Frame: 3 months
3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Gerardo E. Muñoz Maldonado, MD, Hospital Universitario Dr Jose Eleuterio Gonzalez

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

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

September 1, 2009

Primary Completion (Actual)

August 1, 2010

Study Completion (Actual)

September 1, 2010

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 20, 2010

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 26, 2010

First Posted (Estimate)

April 28, 2010

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

March 24, 2011

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 23, 2011

Last Verified

February 1, 2010

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • CG08-005

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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