Promising Outcomes of Topical Tacrolimus Treatment for Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema – A Six-Month Follow-Up

Purpose: Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) remains a significant survivorship challenge due to limited effective treatment options. In a prior clinical trial, topical tacrolimus demonstrated promising outcomes in women with stage I–II BCRL. This follow-up study aims to evaluate the persistence of these effects six months after cessation of treatment. Methods: Sixteen women with stage I–II BCRL, who had completed six months of daily topical tacrolimus treatment, were reassessed six months post-treatment. Outcome measures included arm volume, bioimpedance spectroscopy, patient-reported outcome measures, indocyanine green lymphangiography, use of concomitant lymphedema treatments, and adverse events. Results: The initial study demonstrated significant reductions in lymphedema arm volume, lymphedema index, and use of concomitant lymphedema treatment after six months of treatment. Patient-reported quality of life also improved significantly. Results from this follow-up study showed reductions manual tape measurements of arm volume, quality of life, and use of concomitant lymphedema treatment. Adverse events were minimal throughout both study phases. Conclusions: Topical tacrolimus treatment demonstrated short-term efficacy in reducing BCRL symptoms and improving patient-reported outcomes. Thus, topical tacrolimus may offer a novel, safe, and patient-centered approach to managing early-stage.However, the durability of these effects varied, with some measures returning to baseline levels at six months post-treatment cessation. Further randomized trials are warranted to confirm its efficacy and to explore maintenance treatment strategies for sustaining long-term benefits in breast cancer survivors. BCRL.