Night-time Compression Systems for Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema

Feasibility of Night-time Compression Systems for Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema: a Pilot Study

Women who have undergone breast cancer surgery may develop swelling of the arm on the side the breast cancer occurred. If the swelling becomes chronic it is called lymphedema. This study will examine night-time compression system garments for lymphedema. Our objective is to determine if breast cancer survivors are willing and able to use the garment overnight to help control their lymphedema. Thirty breast cancer survivors from Alberta will be enrolled in the 24-week long study. Measurements will be taken of each arm to assess the extent of lymphedema and to measure changes over the study period. We will also examine other outcomes such as the impact of the night-time compression system garment on sleep. The study will provide important information on the feasibility of night-time compression system garments as a self-management strategy for lymphedema.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Breast Neoplasms; Lymphedema
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Night-time compression system garment; Behavioral: Day-time compression sleeve

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Canada
  • Alberta
    • Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2S 3C1
      • Holy Cross Centre
    • Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 1Z2
      • Cross Cancer Institute

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Women with a histological diagnosis of breast cancer experiencing edema in the ipsilateral arm such that there is a minimum 10% and maximum 40% increase in arm volume over the unaffected arm (mild to moderate lymphedema).
2. Patients must have completed all primary and adjuvant treatments (surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy) prior to randomization.
3. Patients must have their own fitted compression garment for daytime maintenance.
4. No past or current use of a night-time compression system for maintenance. Those patients who have trialed a night-time compression system in the past year must observe a six-month washout period before entering the trial.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Clinical or radiological evidence of active disease, either local or metastatic.
2. History of contralateral breast cancer and axillary surgery.
3. Serious non-malignant disease, such as renal or cardiac failure, which would preclude daily treatment and follow-up.
4. Patients for whom compression is contraindicated.
5. Psychiatric or addictive disorders which preclude obtaining informed consent or adherence to the protocol.
6. Unable to comply with the protocol, measurement and follow-up schedule.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Immediate Night-time Compression; Women randomized to the immediate night-time compression system group will be measured for a custom-made night-time compression system. Women in this group will be instructed to wear their night-time compression system garment for a minimum of 5 nights per week over the 12-week intervention period. A gradual increase in nights worn and wear-time of the garment will occur over the first two weeks. From weeks 3 to 12 of the study, the participants will be asked to wear the garment for 8 hours per night, for a minimum of five nights per week.	Behavioral: Night-time compression system garment; Night-time compression system garment 8 hours per night for a minimum of 5 nights per week.; Behavioral: Day-time compression sleeve; Standard care for lymphedema maintenance. Day-time compression sleeve with or without a glove/ gauntlet, providing a minimum of 30 mm Hg of pressure, for twelve hours per day, each day of the week.
Active Comparator: Delayed Group: Standard Care; Women randomized to the delayed night-time compression system group will receive standard care for lymphedema maintenance. Each participant will be instructed to wear their day-time compression sleeve with or without a glove/ gauntlet, providing a minimum of 30 mm Hg of pressure, for twelve hours per day, each day of the week. Following the twelve-week delay period, women in this arm of the trial will be fitted for their respective night-time compression system garment and will follow the protocol outlined in the experimental arm of the trial.	Behavioral: Day-time compression sleeve; Standard care for lymphedema maintenance. Day-time compression sleeve with or without a glove/ gauntlet, providing a minimum of 30 mm Hg of pressure, for twelve hours per day, each day of the week.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Accrual rate	The number of women eligible for the study and number agreeing to participate.	18 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Adherence	Data on adherence to wearing the night-time compression system.	24 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Alberta
• Collaborators: Alberta Health services; Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Margaret L. McNeely, PhD, University of Alberta and Alberta Health Services

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: April 1, 2012
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 1, 2013
• Study Completion (Actual): December 1, 2013

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 7, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 7, 2012
• First Posted (Estimate): March 9, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 1, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 29, 2020
• Last Verified: June 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Breast cancer; Compression therapy; Arm lymphedema
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Skin Diseases; Neoplasms; Lymphatic Diseases; Neoplasms by Site; Postoperative Complications; Breast Diseases; Breast Neoplasms; Lymphedema; Breast Cancer Lymphedema
• Other Study ID Numbers: ACREC-25845