The LYMPH trial: comparing microsurgical with conservative treatment for chronic breast cancer-associated lymphoedema - study protocol of a pragmatic randomised international multicentre superiority trial

Kappos EA, Haas Y, Schulz A, Peters F, Savanthrapadian S, Stoffel J, Katapodi MC, Mucklow R, Kaiser B, Haumer A, Etter S, Cattaneo M, Staub D, Ribi K, Shaw J, Handschin TM, Eisenhardt S, Visconti G, Franceschini G, Scardina L, Longo B, Vetter M, Zaman K, Plock JA, Scaglioni M, Gonzalez EG, Quildrian SD, Felmerer G, Mehrara BJ, Ayala JM, Pons G, Kalbermatten DF, Sacks JM, Halle M, Muntean MV, Taylor EM, Mani M, Jung FJ, Di Summa PG, Demiri E, Dionyssiou D, Groth AK, Heine N, Vorstenborsch J, Isaac KV, Qiu SS, Engels PE, Serre A, Eberhardt AL, Ebner S, Schwenkglenks M, Stoel Y, Leo C, Horch RE, Blondeel P, Behr B, Kneser U, Prantl L, Boll DT, Granziera C, Hemkens L, Lindenblatt N, Haug M, Schaefer DJ, Hirche C, Pusic AL, Seidenstuecker K, Harder Y, Weber W (2025)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2025

Journal

Book Volume: 15

Article Number: e090662

Journal Issue: 2

DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-090662

Abstract

Introduction Up to one-fifth of breast cancer survivors will develop chronic breast cancer-related lymphoedema (BCRL). To date, complex physical decongestion therapy (CDT) is the gold standard of treatment. However, it is mainly symptomatic and often ineffective in preventing BCRL progression. Lymphovenous anastomosis (LVA) and vascularised lymph node transfer (VLNT) are microsurgical techniques that aim to restore lymphatic drainage. This international randomised trial aims to evaluate advantages of microsurgical interventions plus CDT versus CDT alone for BCRL treatment. Methods and analysis The effectiveness of LVA and/or VLNT in combination with CDT, which may be combined with liposuction, versus CDT alone will be evaluated in routine practice across the globe. Patients with BCRL will be randomly allocated to either surgical or conservative therapy. The primary end point of this trial is the patient-reported quality of life (QoL) outcome 'lymphoedema-specific QoL', which will be assessed 15 months after randomisation. Secondary end points are further patient-reported outcomes (PROs), arm volume measurements, economic evaluations and imaging at different time points. A long-term follow-up will be conducted up to 10 years after randomisation. A total of 280 patients will be recruited in over 20 sites worldwide. Ethics and dissemination This study will be conducted in compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki and the International Council for Harmonisation-Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP) E6 guideline. Ethical approval has been obtained by the lead ethics committee 'Ethikkommission Nordwest- und Zentralschweiz' (2023-00733, 22 May 2023). Ethical approval from local authorities will be sought for all participating sites. Regardless of outcomes, the findings will be published in a peer-reviewed medical journal. Metadata detailing the dataset's type, size and content will be made available, along with the full study protocol and case report forms, in public repositories in compliance with the Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability and Reuse principles. Trial registration number NCT05890677.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

Universitätsspital Basel Switzerland (CH) Universität Basel Switzerland (CH) International Breast Cancer Study Group IBCSG Switzerland (CH) Universitätsklinikum Freiburg Germany (DE) Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS Italy (IT) Università degli Studi di Roma 'Tor Vergata' Italy (IT) Kantonsspital Baselland Switzerland (CH) Lausanne University Hospital / Centre hospitalier universitaire vaudois (CHUV) Switzerland (CH) Luzerner Kantonsspital (LUKS) Switzerland (CH) Kantonsspital Aarau AG Switzerland (CH) Universitätsklinikum Göttingen Germany (DE) Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center United States (USA) (US) Geneva University Hospitals / Hôpitaux universitaires de Genève (HUG) Switzerland (CH) Kantonsspital Winterthur (KSW) Switzerland (CH) Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Greece (GR) Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) / Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Spain (ES) Maastricht University Netherlands (NL) Universitätsspital Zürich (USZ) Switzerland (CH) Hospital Erasto Gaertner Brazil (BR) Caritas-Krankenhaus St. Josef Regensburg Germany (DE) Kliniken Essen-Mitte Germany (DE) McGill University Canada (CA) University of British Columbia Canada (CA) Klinikum der Stadt Ludwigshafen am Rhein gGmbH Germany (DE) Universitätsklinikum Regensburg Germany (DE) Kantonsspital Baden Switzerland (CH) University Hospital Ghent Belgium (BE) Berufsgenossenschaftliche Unfallklinik (BGU) Frankfurt am Main Germany (DE) Harvard University United States (USA) (US) Sana Kliniken AG Germany (DE) Washington University in St. Louis United States (USA) (US) Karolinska University Hospital / Karolinska Universitetssjukhuset Sweden (SE) Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy / Universitatea de Medicină și Farmacie "Iuliu Hațieganu" (UMF Cluj) Romania (RO) Uppsala University Hospital / Akademiska sjukhuset Sweden (SE)

How to cite

APA:

Kappos, E.A., Haas, Y., Schulz, A., Peters, F., Savanthrapadian, S., Stoffel, J.,... Weber, W. (2025). The LYMPH trial: comparing microsurgical with conservative treatment for chronic breast cancer-associated lymphoedema - study protocol of a pragmatic randomised international multicentre superiority trial. BMJ Open, 15(2). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2024-090662

MLA:

Kappos, Elisabeth A., et al. "The LYMPH trial: comparing microsurgical with conservative treatment for chronic breast cancer-associated lymphoedema - study protocol of a pragmatic randomised international multicentre superiority trial." BMJ Open 15.2 (2025).

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