Effect of Topical Cryotherapy on Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer-related lymphedema is a prevalent complication of breast cancer treatment. It has a significant negative impact on patients 'physical and psychological well-being and overall quality of life. Cryotherapy gained universal acceptance for its therapeutic effects on controlling various forms of edema when used in conjunction with conservative treatments for patients with lymphedema. Aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of topical cryotherapy on the clinical outcomes of patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema. Subjects and methods: A quasi-experimental research design was utilized to carry out this study. A purposive sample of 84 adult women who had breast cancer-related lymphedema was divided into two equal groups. Tools: Four tools were used to collect data, as follows: Tool I: Patients' demographic characteristics and health-related data; Tool II: Manual circumference measurement, Tool III: Lymphedema tracking tool; and Tool IV: Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). Results: The present study showed that there were statistically significant differences between the control and study groups regarding total mean scores of lymphedema-related symptoms and pain scores post-intervention (P < 0.05). Moreover, there was a significant improvement in the total mean scores of the patients' arm circumferences in the study group after intervention; wrist measurement improved from 18.15 (1.97) to 16.98 (1.27), forearm from 27.26 (2.84) to 25.49 (2.11), and upper arm from 38.2 (3.36) to 36.17 (2.66). Conclusion: The study results indicated that cryotherapy is an effective complementary modality for the treatment of breast cancerrelated lymphedema. Recommendations: It is recommended to include cryotherapy in physical therapy protocols for lymphedema rehabilitation, develop educational programs and guidelines for safe application in clinical settings, and evaluate long-term effects.