Can physical therapy ease arm pain after breast cancer surgery?

NCT ID NCT04225572

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study looks at whether physical therapy can help breast cancer patients who develop axillary web syndrome (a condition causing tight, painful cords under the arm) after surgery. Researchers will compare patients who receive physical therapy to those who don't, measuring improvements in movement, pain, and lymphedema. The study involves 135 participants and is already completed.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: physical therapy (exercise, manual therapy, lymphedema treatment)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could provide a standard physical therapy approach to help breast cancer patients recover better after surgery.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-stage trial with only 44 participants in the randomized phase, so results may not apply to everyone. Physical therapy is generally low-risk but may not significantly improve outcomes.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for BREAST CANCER are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

breast cancer breast neoplasm

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

BREAST CANCER

Contacts and locations

Locations

University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center

Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455, United States

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.