Patients were included if they had undergone unilateral
mastectomy and completed chemo- and radiation
therapy for stage I or II breast cancer 1.5 years or more
before participating in the study. Also, the patients must
have subsequently developed ipsilateral upper-limb
lymphedema with a difference of 2 cm or more at any
one measurement point or 200 mL or more compared
with the contralateral upper limb. Patients were excluded
if they had primary lymphedema, secondary lymphedema
due to other system pathology, stage III lymphedema,
bilateral disease, diagnosed cancer recurrence, and any
contraindication to the affected upper-limb exercises
(e.g., venous thrombosis)