Effectiveness of Manual Lymphatic Drainage in Patients with Breast Cancer: A Review of the Literature Manual Lymphatic Drainage in Breast Cancer
Journal of Clinical Physiotherapy Research,
Vol. 10 No. 1 (2025),
15 November 2025
,
Page 1-6
https://doi.org/10.22037/jcpr.v10i1.47720
Abstract
Introduction: One of the treatment methods for people suffering from secondary lymphedema is manual lymph drainage (MLD). Considering the importance and high impact of manual lymph drainage on reducing the volume of lymphedema in people with secondary lymphedema, the purpose of this systematic review is to analyze the results of previous studies about MLD on patients with breast cancer. Methods: A search was performed in the Google Scholar, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science databases using the keywords 'physiotherapy, lymphedema, manual lymph drainage, and breast cancer' for studies published between 2002 and 2024. Results: Among the retrieved articles, only the articles that investigated MLD in the treatment of patients with lymphedema were included in the study. As a result, 13 out of 3390 articles were included in this study.Conclusion: The review of the selected articles shows that MLD is a non-invasive and acceptable treatment method for lymphedema. Considering the safety and effectiveness of MLD, along with its ease of use and potential for combination with exercise therapy, it is recognized as a therapeutic modality for lymphedema.
- Lymphedema, breast cancer, manual lymph drainage, exercise, physiotherapy
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