ONS Guidelines Article
Online Exclusive Article

Prospective Surveillance and Risk Reduction of Cancer Treatment–Related Lymphedema: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Jingyi Ding

Bashar Hasan

Konstantinos Malandris

Magdoleen H. Farah

Apostolos Manolopoulos

Pamela K. Ginex

Allison Anbari

Tarek Nayfeh

Moutie Rajjoub

Raed Benkhadra

Larry Prokop

Rebecca L. Morgan

M. Hassan Murad

lymphedema, systematic review, meta-analysis, cancer treatment
ONF 2020, 47(5), E161-E170. DOI: 10.1188/20.ONF.E161-E170

Problem Identification: Secondary lymphedema is a chronic condition that may result from cancer-related treatments. Evidence is emerging on prospective surveillance and risk reduction.

Literature Search: Databases were systematically searched through April 1, 2019, for comparative studies evaluating interventions aiming to prevent lymphedema in patients with cancer.

Data Evaluation: A random-effects model was used to perform meta-analysis, when appropriate.

Synthesis: A total of 26 studies (4,095 patients) were included, with 23 providing data sufficient for meta-analysis. Surveillance programs increased the likelihood of detecting lymphedema. Physiotherapy, exercise programs, and delayed exercise reduced the incidence of lymphedema.

Implications for Research: Future research should standardize (a) evidence-based interventions to reduce the development of lymphedema and increase the likelihood of early detection and (b) outcome measures to build a body of evidence that leads to practice change.

Supplemental material can be found at https://onf.ons.org/supplementary-material-systematic-review-cancer-treatment-related-lymphedema

Members Only
Not a current ONS member or journal subscriber?

Purchase This Article

Receive a PDF to download and print.