Standalone Complete Decongestive Therapy Versus Combined Treatment With Kinesio Taping for Reducing Upper Limb Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema After Axillary Dissection: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Introduction: Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) of the upper limb frequently occurs after multimodal therapy for this common malignancy in women.Kinesio taping (KT) and complete decongestive therapy (CDT) are two common methods of addressing this problem.This study aimed to compare the efficacy of combining KT with CDT compared to using CDT alone in reducing BCRL.Methods: Forty female patients with unilateral BCRL were randomly allocated into two groups: Group 1, KT with CDT, and Group 2, CDT alone.All patients underwent an intensive period of therapy consisting of 15-20 sessions of KT+CDT versus CDT alone for four to five weeks (five days per week).The circumference of both the affected and unaffected extremities, measured at eight different levels, was assessed before and after the therapy.Results: Investigators found a significant reduction in lymphedema in both KT+CDT and CDT-only groups.The KT+CDT group had a significant decrease in left-sided lymphedema (F = 29.29,P < 0.001) and rightsided lymphedema (F = 17.38,P < 0.001).The CDT group alone also showed a reduction, but comparatively less pronounced, with F = 4.28, P < 0.01 for the left side and F = 2.76, P ≤ 0.05 for the right side.No complications or patient dropouts were reported in either group.Conclusion: Combined therapy of KT with CDT was found to be more efficacious in lymphedema reduction than CDT alone in post-axillary dissection BRCL.