Complete Decongestive Therapy in Breast Cancer Patients in Iran

Background: Breast cancer is the commonest cause of cancer death in women in the world. One of the sequelae after breast cancer surgery and radiation therapy is arm edema, which can be ameliorated with complete decongestive therapy (CDT), a noninvasive treatment administered in two phases. Phase one includes manual lymphatic drainage, low stretch bandage, remedial exercise and skin care. Phase two concentrates on personal care, such as the use of a special sleeve, simple bandage in the night and special exercise. CDT is a popular treatment for breast cancer patients with arm edema. Methods:In this study, 80 patients with upper extremity lymphedema secondary to breast cancer surgery and axillary node dissection were included, three of whom had stage I, 75 stage II, and two had stage III edema. The difference between the intact hand and edematous hand (Cj-Ij = Dj) was measured before CDT (D1), after CDT (D2) and after treatment in the home (D3). The differences between D1 and D2, D1and D3, and D2 and D3 were then compared by paired t-test. Results: In this study, we detected significant differences between D1 and D2 as well as D1and D3, but there was no significant difference between D2 and D3. Conclusion: Although the change in volume of edematous arms after CDT treatment vs. after in-home personal care and rehabilitation was not significant, the impact of this second phase of CDT on patient quality of life requires further study.