BCRL Prevention Pilot

Weight Loss to Prevent BCRL: A Pilot Study

The purpose of this study is to establish feasiblity of recruiting obese breast cancer survivors at the end of treatment, getting those survivors to lose weight and attend follow-up visits for 6 months.

Breast cancer related lymphedema occurs in 20-30% of survivors. Weight loss could prevent onset. We seek to do a pilot study to establish feasibility of 1) recruiting survivors at risk for lymphedema to do a weight loss intervention, 2) achieving 10-15% weight loss over 26 weeks in this population, and 3) attendance at follow-up visits 6 months.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Women
• Breast Cancer Survivors who had 5 or more lymph nodes removed and radiation to lymph nodes as part of treatment.
• Completed all treatments - no metastatic cancers
• Overweight or obese (BMI greater than or equal to 25 kg/m2)
• Medically and logistically able to participate in a weight loss and exercise program over 6 months.
• Diagnosed with breast cancer within the past 2 years.

Exclusion Criteria:

• More than 2 years since breast cancer diagnosis
• Medical status that would preclude safety of participation in a weight loss and exercise program
• Metastatic cancer
• Already enrolled in a weight loss program