Abstract

Acquired lymphedema is a common and disabling state of vascular insufficiency lacking satisfactory pharmacotherapeutics. 400,000 Americans suffer from lymphedema of the upper extremity alone, primarily due to lymph node dissection and radiation therapy secondary to cancer treatment. The repurposing of a safe and inexpensive drug could revolutionize current treatment approaches. Our pilot study suggests a greater role for ketoprofen therapy in lymphedema therapy. Our findings provide observational evidence that ketoprofen treatment contributes to lymphedema amelioration by reduction in murine model tail volume and the normalization of typical histopathological changes in both preventive and post-operative treatment cohorts. Additional experiments are necessary to determine the underlying mechanism of action of ketoprofen as well as to evaluate potential alternative routes of administration, which could be of great translational benefit.