SynthesisFrontiers in oncology2026
Pharmacotherapy agents in prevention and treatment of breast cancer-related lymphedema: a systematic scoping review.
Synthesis in Frontiers in oncology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
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Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) is a common and life-long adverse event affecting ~20% of breast cancer survivors. As existing non-pharmacologic management is burdensome, expensive, and variably effective, this systematic scoping review aims to identify pharmacologic and herbal agents for prevention and treatment for BCRL. Methods: PubMED, Embase, Web of Science Core collection, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature were searched for studies published in English between 1993 and 2025 that investigated the preventative or therapeutic effect of pharmacologic or herbal agents on BCRL among adult stage I-III breast cancer patients. Studies describing interventions with systemically absorbed anti-inflammatories, anti-thrombotics, anti-coagulants, and blood product components were included. Systematic reviews, protocols for ongoing clinical trials, preclinical and non-human studies, editorials, and studies not exclusive to BCRL were excluded. Three reviewers screened and extracted data between June and August 2025. The primary outcomes of interest were reduction in BCRL incidence or severity. Results: Of the 217 articles screened, 37 were included in the final review. After full text review, 13 were excluded for repetitive data, non-English language, or irrelevant outcomes. The 24 studies included in the analysis investigated anti-diabetic, herbal, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, immunomodulatory, and microbiome modifying agents, and venoactive flavinoid derivates. Three studies explored the role of pharmacologic/herbal agents in BCRL prevention. While thiazolidinediones, anti-hypertensives, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) had no effect on BCRL incidence, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) were associated with BCRL prevention. In the 21 studies that assessed the effect of pharmacologic/herbal agents in BCRL treatment, NSAIDs/steroids, anti-hypertensives, microbiome/synbiotic supplements, and doxycycline showed no benefit and data for flavonoid-derived venoactive agents and herbal products were inconsistent. Immune-modulating therapies were associated with improved BCRL signs/symptoms in three studies. Conclusion: This systematic scoping review found limited evidence suggesting that GLP-1 RAs may reduce the risk of BCRL and that immunomodulatory agents may improve signs/symptoms of BCRL. Rigorous prospective trials using standardized limb volume/edema, quality-of-life (QoL), and symptom measures and longer follow-up are needed to inform clinical practice aimed at preventing and treating BCRL. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD420251055134.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.