Breast cancer-related lymphedema
PBM regimens for breast cancer-related lymphedema meta-analysis
Chiu ST, Lai UH, Huang YC, et al. Lasers in Medical Science. 2023.
A regimen-focused meta-analysis found PBM can reduce swelling and improve quality of life in breast cancer-related lymphedema, with better outcomes in some axillary protocols.
Evidence grade
low
Effect direction
positive
Panel relevance
not-panel-replicable
Key findings
- Axillary treatment was associated with better post-treatment quality of life.
- Three sessions per week at 1.5-2 J/cm2 showed better swelling reduction in subgroup analysis.
- More than 15 sessions was associated with better swelling and grip-strength outcomes.
Protocol details
| Wavelengths | Not reported nm |
|---|---|
| Irradiance | Not reported mW/cm2 |
| Fluence | 2 J/cm2 |
| Session time | Not reported minutes |
| Frequency | Three times per week in the favored subgroup |
| Duration | More than 15 sessions favored some outcomes |
| Treatment area | Axilla or lymphedema-related upper limb targets |
| Device type | Low-level laser / photobiomodulation |
Caveats
- Cancer-related lymphedema should be managed by trained clinicians.
- Further large, long-term studies are needed.