Acupuncture for the Treatment of Chronic Lymphedema

Completed · Phase 2

Conditions studied: Breast Cancer, Lymphedema

In brief

Lymphedema is an accumulation of lymphatic fluid in the tissues that causes swelling, most often in the arms and/or legs, and occasionally in other parts of the body. Lymphedema can occur when lymph vessels are damaged or lymph nodes are removed. Lymphedema can develop right after breast cancer treatment or weeks, months, or even years later. For many people, available treatments for lymphedema are not effective. Recent evidence suggests that acupuncture may help reduce the symptoms of lymphedema. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of acupuncture on chronic lymphedema. This study will look further at whether acupuncture can reduce lymphedema and help us to understand immune changes that may be associated with improvements in lymphedema.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT01003951

Run by

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

People needed

37

Starts

2009-10-01

Expected to finish

2012-08-01

Last updated by the study team

2012-08-16

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: female. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Women age 18 or older willing to sign consent.
• Lymphedema in an arm as a result of surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy for breast cancer per Breast surgeon or medical oncologist.
• Patients must have received a clinical diagnosis of lymphedema for at least 6 months and no more than 5 years after diagnosis of chronic lymphedema.
• The affected arm must be >2cm larger than the unaffected arm; this is the standard diagnosis and the one used in the MSKCC studies cited above. The standard measurement techniques will be applied 20.

You may not qualify if…

• Previous acupuncture treatment for lymphedema
• Diuretic use
• History of primary (congenital) lymphedema
• Metastatic cancer
• History of autoimmune disorder (including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis)
• History of other fibroproliferative disorder including cirrhosis, pulmonary fibrosis, kidney fibrosis, systemic sclerosis/scleroderma
• Current treatment with corticosteroids
• Treatment with myelosuppressive or stimulatory drugs within 6 months of enrollment
• History of bone marrow transplantation

Where it is running

• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center — New York, New York, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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