Recruiting

Observational Study

Sponsor:

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Code:

NCT02743858

Conditions

Breast Cancer

Lymphedema

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: Female

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Bilateral arm measurements

Body mass index (BMI)

Quality of Life Questionnaire

Blood draw

Study Details

Brief summary:

This study is being done to find out how many women develop lymphedema after an axillary lymph node dissection. The investigators also want to look for reasons why some women get lymphedema and others don't. Specifically, the investigators want to do tests on the breast tissue that is removed at the time of surgery to see if they can identify inflammation in the breast tissue, which may increase a woman's risk for lymphedema. The investigators will also ask the patient to answer questions to see how much their quality of life is affected by lymphedema, and whether this study can help women by detecting lymphedema earlier.

Conditions

Breast Cancer

Lymphedema

Study ID

NCT02743858

Start date

Apr, 2016

Status verified date

May, 2026

Completion date

Apr, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Apr, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: Female

Age: 18+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Female breast cancer patients over the age of 18
  • Patients consenting for unilateral axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) (prior history of sentinel lymph node biopsy allowed if <6 months from consent)
  • Patients consenting for unilateral sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and possible ALND are eligible for initial entry into the study, but will become ineligible if ALND is not performed
  • Initially consented patients, treated with SLNB alone, who were originally considered ineligible to continue on study, will be approached for re-enrollment
  • Patients who self-identify as Black or White consenting for unilateral ALND or possible ALND will be approached for enrollment onto translational study (Cohort 3)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Male breast cancer patients
  • Patients consenting for bilateral axillary surgery
  • Patients with prior history of surgical excision of one or more axillary lymph nodes or SLNB, performed >6 months from date of consent
  • Patients with prior history of ALND
  • Patients with no breast surgery performed at MSK

Study Design

Enrollment

1250 participants

Anticipated

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

Patients who consent for ALND

In patients treated with ALND, bilateral arm measurements will be obtained using the Perometer (Model 350 NT Perometer, Per-System) circumferential arm measurements with elastic tape taken at 4-cm intervals from the wrist to the shoulder \& the L-Dex U400 (Impedimed, Brisbane, Australia) for bioimpedance measurements. Measurements will be performed at baseline (prior to surgery), post-operatively (after surgery) \& at scheduled timepoints of 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, \& 24 months after surgery for a total of 2 years. For a patient who is diagnosed with lymphedema at ≥ 13 months after surgery, surveillance will continue for an additional 12 months after \[lymphedema\] diagnosis, \& total surveillance time may exceed 2 years. Height \& weight will be obtained for each patient at baseline \& at each scheduled visit for the purpose of calculating BMI. All patients will complete the ULL-27 (upper limb lymphedema) quality-of-life questionnaire at baseline \& at each scheduled visit.

Patients treated with SLNB alone

Study requirements which include arm measurements, height and weight and completion of a questionnaire at a single long-term follow-up timepoint, will be explained to the patient

ALND Translational Study Patients

Patients will also be counseled about blood draws, which will include withdrawal of up to 20 mL of blood. Patients who are eligible and agree to participate will sign a consent form. Arm measurements, height and weight, blood draw (if applicable), and baseline questionnaire will be performed at first contact if possible, or at a follow-up scheduled visit prior to surgery.

Interventions

Bilateral arm measurements

Pts treated with ALND, bilateral arm measurements will be obtained using the Perometer (Model 350 NT Perometer, Per-System) circumferential arm measurements with elastic tape taken at 4-cm intervals from the wrist to the shoulder \& the L-Dex U400 (Impedimed, Brisbane, Australia) for bioimpedance measurements. Measurements will be performed before surgery, post-operatively \& at timepoints of 6,12,18, \& 24 months after surgery for 2 years will be obtained using the Perometer (Model 350 NT Perometer, Per-System) for bioimpedance measurements. Pts who have not yet developed lymphedema by 2 years, an additional measurement at approx 3 years post-surgery will be performed. If pt is diag with lymphedema at the 3-year visit, she will be asked to continue on study for an additional year. Pts treated with SLNB alone, following re-consent, a long-term follow-up volumetric arm measurement will be obtained using the perometer \& circumferential arm measurements at a minimum of 2 years post-surgery.

Body mass index (BMI)

Height and weight will be obtained for each patient at baseline and at each scheduled visit for the purpose of calculating BMI. BMI will be correlated with the presence of inflammatory biomarkers in the tissue, as well as with lymphedema development.

Quality of Life Questionnaire

Blood draw

Patients enrolled in the translational study (Cohort 3) will undergo blood draws for serum collection preoperatively and 12-24 months postoperatively to test for FGF2, IL4, IL10, TGFB, Leptin, IL6, and CRP. At both timepoints, up to 20 mL of blood will be collected.

Primary outcome measure

  • number of incidences of lymphedema [ Time Frame: 2 year ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Andrea Barrio, MD

646-888-5117

Babak Mehrara, MD

212-639-8639

Locations

Memorial Sloan Kettering Basking Ridge (Consent only)

Recruiting

Basking Ridge, New Jersey, United States, 07920

Contacts

Andrea Barrio, MD

646-888-5117

Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth (Consent only)

Recruiting

Middletown, New Jersey, United States, 07748

Contacts

Andrea Barrio, MD

646-888-5117

Memorial Sloan Kettering Bergen (Consent only)

Recruiting

Montvale, New Jersey, United States, 07645

Contacts

Andrea Barrio, MD

646-888-5117

Memorial Sloan Kettering Commack (Consent only)

Recruiting

Commack, New York, United States, 11725

Contacts

Andrea Barrio, MD

646-888-5117

Memorial Sloan Kettering Westchester (Consent only)

Recruiting

Harrison, New York, United States, 10604

Contacts

Andrea Barrio, MD

646-888-5117

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Recruiting

New York, New York, United States, 10065

Contacts

Andrea Barrio, MD

646-888-5117

Babak Mehrara, MD

212-639-8639

Principal Investigator:

Andrea Barrio, MD

Memorial Sloan Kettering Nassau (Consent only)

Recruiting

Uniondale, New York, United States, 11553

Contacts

Andrea Barrio, MD

646-888-5117

More Information

Sponsor

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Last update posted

May 7, 2026

Last verified

May, 2026

Keywords

  • Lymphedema
  • Surveillance Program
  • Axillary Lymph Node Dissection
  • 16-220

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center on 2026-05-07.