Effectiveness of a Therapeutic Exercise Program With Specific Upper Limb Exercises to Reduce Lymphedema and Neuropathy in Breast Cancer Patients: A Pre-post Study (LYNMA)
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Therapeutic exercise.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Lymphedema Arm, Lymphedema Due to Radiation, Lymphedema, Breast Cancer, Peripheral Neuropathy Due to Chemotherapy. Basic parameters: 35 years — 70 years · Female.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
Effectiveness of a General Therapeutic Exercise Program Including Specific Upper Limb Exercises to Reduce Lymphedema and Peripheral Neuropathy Secondary to Oncological Treatment in Patients With Breast Cancer: A Pre-post Intervention Study (LYNMA)
Overview
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a therapeutic exercise program designed specifically for women with breast cancer. The program includes general exercises along with specific movements for the upper limb to help reduce common side effects of cancer treatment such as lymphedema (swelling of the arm) and neuropathy (nerve pain or numbness). Participants will undergo the exercise program and be assessed before and after to determine improvements in their symptoms and overall quality of life. The goal is to provide evidence that targeted physical therapy can improve recovery and well-being in breast cancer survivors.
Detailed description
This pre-post intervention study aims to assess the effectiveness of a comprehensive therapeutic exercise program tailored for breast cancer patients experiencing lymphedema and neuropathy secondary to cancer treatment. The program combines general physical exercises with specific upper limb movements targeting symptom reduction and functional improvement. Participants will be evaluated before and after the intervention to measure changes in arm swelling, nerve symptoms, physical function, and quality of life. The study will contribute valuable data on non-pharmacological rehabilitation strategies that could enhance recovery and reduce long-term complications in breast cancer survivors.
Interventions
- Other Therapeutic exercise
Participants will follow a 3-month therapeutic exercise program combining general exercises with specific upper limb exercises, including hand proprioception and neurodynamic techniques. Two group sessions per week (1 to 1.15 hours each) will be conducted, with at least 24 hours between sessions. Each session includes warm-up, three progressive work blocks with strength, mobility, and balance exercises, and a cool-down. Strength training uses body weight and equipment, with intensity guided by t
Primary outcome measures
- Excess limb volume (%) compared to the unaffected limb [Time frame: Baseline (before intervention), Immediately post-program (Day 0 after completion)]
Secondary outcome measures (6)
- Change in neuropathic pain intensity measured with DN4 questionnaire [Time frame: Baseline (before intervention), Immediately post-program (Day 0 after completion)]
- Change in hand grip strength from baseline measured with handheld dynamometer (kg) [Time frame: Baseline (before intervention), Immediately post-program (Day 0 after completion)]
- Change in nerve cross-sectional area measured with high-resolution ultrasound (mm²) [Time frame: Baseline (before intervention), Immediately post-program (Day 0 after completion)]
- Change in upper limb function measured with QuickDASH questionnaire (score 0-100) [Time frame: Baseline (before intervention), Immediately post-program (Day 0 after completion)]
- Change in range of motion of shoulder rotations, elbow and wrist flexion-extension measured with goniometer (degrees) [Time frame: Baseline (before intervention), Immediately post-program (Day 0 after completion)]
- Change in quality of life from baseline measured with EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire (score 0-100) [Time frame: Baseline (before intervention), Immediately post-program (Day 0 after completion)]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Patients receiving treatment for breast carcinoma.reatments include surgical procedures (breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy), axillary lymph node dissection, sentinel lymph node biopsy, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy.
- Participants must provide authorization from their primary care physician and/or oncologist to perform therapeutic exercise.
- Diagnosis of lymphedema associated with stage I or II breast cancer (Stage 1 or mild: circumference difference less than 4 cm \[volume difference 10-25%\] compared to the healthy arm; Stage 2 or moderate: circumference difference between 4 and 6 cm \[volume difference 25-50%\] compared to the healthy arm).
- A score of 4 or higher on the DN4 questionnaire (neuropathic pain)
Exclusion criteria
- Lack of medical authorization.
- Pre-existing cardiac pathology prior to cancer diagnosis.
- Exacerbation of comorbidities.
- Travel time exceeding 45 minutes to the location where the therapeutic exercise program is conducted.
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- N/A
- Model
- Single group
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07170631 · FIS-2025-07