A comparison of the effectiveness of complex decongestive therapy and extracorporeal shock wave therapy in the treatment of lymphedema secondary to breast cancer

The study was designed to compare the effectiveness of complex decongestive therapy versus extracorporeal shockwave therapy for the treatment of lymphedema secondary to breast cancer. Twenty patients with a diagnosis of breast cancer-related lymphedema were randomized into two groups. Group 1 patients received complex decongestive therapy consisting of manual lymphatic drainage, bandaging, exercise, and compression garments for 5 days a week for a total of 20 sessions. Group 2 patients received a total of 12 sessions of extracorporeal shock wave therapy three times a week. All patients were evaluated using volumetric and circumferential measurements and Quick DASH scores at baseline, posttreatment, and first month after treatment. Within-group assessment of patients in each group showed statistically significant reductions in volumetric and circumferential measurements and a significant improvement in Quick DASH scores at posttreatment and first month after treatment compared with baseline (p < 0.05). Comparisons of the two groups did not reveal any statistically significant differences in any values of the study parameters at the baseline, posttreatment, and at first month after treatment compared with baseline (p > 0.05). For patients with lymphedema secondary to breast cancer, extracorporeal shock wave therapy can be an alternative treatment to complex decongestive therapy.