The N-LVA Study: RCT Comparing LVA vs. Sham Surgery in Cancer-related Lymphedema

One of the most debilitating side effects of cancer treatment is cancer-related lymphedema (CRL), with an overall incidence of 15.5%. To date, there is no definite cure for lymphedema. Conservative therapy, namely complex decongestive therapy is the golden standard for the treatment. Lymphaticovenous anastomosis (LVA) might be a promising treatment modality for patients with CRL, but available studies are small and the quality is lacking. No large-scale prospective or randomized studies have been published on the efficacy of LVA.

The main objective of this randomized controlled trial is to assess whether LVA is more effective than sham surgery in terms of improvement in Lymph-ICF score, volume reduction, reduction of complex decongestive therapy, and cost-effectiveness.

The study will take place in three centers in the Netherlands: Maastricht University Medical Center, Radboud University Medical Center, and Erasmus University Medical Center.

The patients will be randomly distributed into two groups: the LVA group or the Sham group. Both procedures are performed under local anesthesia. Patients in both groups are subject to minor surgical complications (wound infection, bleeding, wound dehiscence). Special care will be taken to prevent damage to lymphatic vessels in the Sham group, to allow a future LVA operation once the study ends. The follow-up moments will be at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Additionally, a subset of patients will partake in an annual extended follow-up, ongoing until the start of the analysis. Each follow-up moment will last 45 minutes in total. The patient also receives two digital questionnaires at each follow-up moment.

Inclusion criteria

• Treated for cancer and underwent treatment of either axillary or inguinal lymph nodes or radiotherapy;
• Early stage lymphedema (ISL I-II) in the upper or lower extremity, and diagnosed by lymphoscintigraphy for the lower extremity;
• Unilateral lymphedema;
• Viable lymphatic vessels as determined by indocyanine green (ICG)Lymphography (stage II-III);
• Refractory lymphedema that underwent at least three months of conservative treatment;
• Informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

• History of lymphatic reconstruction in the past 10 years;
• Late-stage lymphedema of the extremity (ISL classification ≥ II lymphedema) with evident fat deposition and/or fibrosis;
• Patients with active distant metastases, treated with palliative intent;
• Patients with the active treatment of primary cancer, i.e. surgery, radiotherapy, and/or chemotherapy. Note: patients receiving adjuvant targeted and/or endocrine treatment are eligible;
• Edema due to venous insufficiency, evaluated by venous duplex ultrasound of the deep and superficial venous system;
• Active infection in the lymphedematous extremity;
• Bilateral lymphedema;
• Lymphedema present in genital or breast area only;
• Primary lymphedema;
• Non-viable lymphatic system as determined by ICG Lymphography (stages IV and V).