Evaluating a new surgical approach for lymphedema in breast cancer survivors
Official title: LymphBridge: Prospective Evaluation of the BioBridge Scaffold as an Adjunct to Lymph Node Transplant for Upper Extremity Lymphedema
Run by Fibralign Corporation · NCT04606030 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing if adding a special collagen device to standard surgery can help breast cancer survivors with lymphedema reduce swelling and improve their quality of life.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 75 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 60 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Fibralign Corporation Industry-sponsored |
| Drugs / interventions | chemotherapy, radiation |
| Locations | 2 sites (Chicago, Illinois and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 26, 2020 |
| Main results expected | October 30, 2025 |
| Study ends | December 30, 2025 |
| Registry record updated | March 11, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT04606030 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are breast cancer survivors aged 18 to 75 with stage I-II lymphedema who have completed their cancer therapy at least three years prior.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who are not eligible for surgical intervention or those with advanced lymphedema or other contraindications may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This study investigates the effectiveness of adding Fibralign's BioBridge® Collagen Matrix to standard surgical procedures for treating lymphedema in breast cancer survivors. The BioBridge device is a biodegradable collagen matrix designed to support soft tissue during vascularized lymph node transfer surgery. The primary goal is to assess the percentage change in excess limb volume one year after surgery, while secondary outcomes include improvements in quality of life and lymphatic function. Participants must be breast cancer survivors with specific eligibility criteria related to their lymphedema condition.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could significantly improve surgical outcomes for patients suffering from lymphedema after breast cancer treatment.
How similar studies have gone: While the use of collagen matrices in surgical procedures is not entirely novel, this specific application for lymphedema treatment is relatively untested.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: The subject must be a breast cancer survivor, at least 3 years beyond completion of cancer therapy, free of clinical disease, and eligible for surgical intervention. Participants who are not able to safely undergo general anesthesia and/or perioperative care for VLNT are excluded. * Ages 18 to 75 years (inclusive) * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status 0 to 2 * Life expectancy \> 2 years * Acquired (secondary) upper limb lymphedema secondary to breast cancer treatment * The participant must be eligible for surgical intervention * Swelling of 1 limb that is not completely reversed by elevation or compression * Stage I-II lymphedema at screening, based on the International Society of Lymphology (ISL) staging system * Participants must have no evidence of disease (NED), have completed breast cancer therapy 3 years prior to enrollment; use of endocrine therapy is allowed. * Completion of a full course of complete decongestive therapy (CDT), according to ISL guidelines at least 12 weeks prior to screening, including use of compression garments for at least 12 weeks without change in regimen * Willingness to comply with recommended regimen of self care, with consistent use of compression garments from screening through the entire study duration (through the safety follow up visit), excluding the first 3 weeks postoperatively where patients are required to not wear compression. Self bandaging, use of nighttime compression garments, and intermittent pneumatic compression devices are allowed, but the procedures and regimens are expected to remain consistent from screening though the entire study duration. * Consistent use of an appropriately sized compression garment for daytime use. * Limb volume (LV) in the affected limb and unaffected limb must be at least 10% of each other. * Evidence of abnormal bioimpedance ratio, if feasible, based upon unilateral disease: L Dex \> 10 units. * Willingness and ability to comply with all study procedures, including measurement of skin biopsy, and preoperative and postoperative imaging studies. * Willingness and ability to understand, and to sign a written informed consent form document Exclusion Criteria: * Edema arising from increased capillary filtration will be excluded (venous incompetence). * Inability to safely undergo general anesthesia and/or perioperative care related to vascularized lymph node transfer * Concurrent participation in a clinical trial of any other investigational drug or therapy, regardless of indication, within 1 month before screening or 5 times the drug's half life, whichever is longer * Recent initiation (≤ 12 weeks) of CDPT for lymphedema * Other medical condition that could lead to acute limb edema, such as (but not limited to) acute venous thrombosis or heart failure * Other medical condition that could result in symptoms overlapping those of lymphedema in the affected limb (eg, pain, swelling, decreased range of motion) * History of clotting disorder (hypercoagulable state) * Chronic (persistent) infection in the affected limb * Infection of the lymphedema limb within 1 month prior to screening * Currently receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy * Current evidence, or a history of malignancy within the past 3 years (except for non melanoma skin cancer or cervical cancer in situ treated with curative intent). If the participant has undergone cancer treatment, this must have been completed \> 3 years prior to enrollment. * Significant or chronic renal insufficiency (defined as serum creatinine \> 2.5 mg/dL or an estimated glomerular filtration rate \[eGFR\] \< 30 mL/min at screening) or requires dialytic support * Hepatic dysfunction, defined as alanine transaminase (ALT) or aspartate transaminase (AST) levels \> 3 × upper limit of the normal range (ULN) and/or bilirubin level \> 2 × ULN at screening * Absolute neutrophil count \< 1500 mm3 at screening * Hemoglobin concentration \< 9 g/dL at screening * Body Mass Index (BMI) \>35 * Known sensitivity to porcine products * Anaphylaxis to iodine * Pregnancy or nursing * Substance abuse (such as alcohol or drug abuse) within 6 months prior to screening * Any reason (in addition to those listed above) that, in the opinion of the investigator, precludes full participation in the study.
Where it's running
-
The University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division/University of Chicago Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois, United States Recruiting -
MD Anderson
Houston, Texas, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: David W Chang, MD, FACS — The University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Sciences
- Study coordinator: Scully Hsu
- Email: shsu@bsd.uchicago.edu
- Phone: 773-834-8038
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
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Evaluating a new surgical approach for upper arm lymphedema
This study is testing if adding a special collagen mesh to standard surgery can help people with upper arm lymphedema feel better and reduce swelling.
-
Screening for Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema in Targeted Therapy
This study tests whether targeted breast cancer therapies are linked to lymphedema by tracking arm volume and symptoms in women undergoing treatment.
-
Use of reconstructive microsurgery to treat lymphedema
This study tests whether reconstructive microsurgery, with or without the help of indocyanine green imaging, can help people with lymphedema feel and function better by improving lymphatic drainage.
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Predicting lymphedema risk in inflammatory breast cancer patients using preoperative body impedance analysis
This study tests whether a preoperative bioimpedance test can help identify IBC patients who are at risk for developing lymphedema.
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Boosted compression for lower limb edema
This study tests whether applying a multicomponent short-stretch bandage three times daily (boosted compression) helps reduce edema faster in people with chronic edema or lymphedema of the legs, compared with the standard single daily bandage.
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Erector Spinae Block vs Paravertebral Block for Chronic Pain After Mastectomy
This trial tests whether an erector spinae block can better prevent chronic pain after mastectomy than a paravertebral block in adults 18–80.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.