As you know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month so be sure to check back each week throughout the month as we share important breast health tips.
If you or someone you know has had cancer surgery, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of lymphedema.
That’s because lymphedema ““ the swelling of lymph fluid in a person’s arm, hand, leg or other extremity ““ is a potential side effect of cancer surgery and radiation therapy that can appear in some people months or even years after treatment ends.
This kind of lymphedema ““ secondary lymphedema ““ is more common than primary lymphedema, which is genetic and results from a malformation of the lymphatic system in utero. Primary lymphedema is very rare and presents at birth or later in life.
Although many things, including trauma, immobility, obesity, vascular insufficiency and repeated infections, can spur the onset of secondary lymphedema, the removal of lymph nodes during cancer surgery is one of its major causes.
“The number of lymph nodes doesn’t necessarily dictate whether you’re going to get lymphedema or not, but the more lymph nodes that are removed, the greater your chances are of developing it,” said Lynne Daley, a physical therapist and certified lymphedema therapist with St. Elizabeth Healthcare.
Around 8 to 56 percent of breast cancer survivors who have had surgery or radiation develop lymphedema, and 36 percent of gynecologic cancer survivors develop the disease, Daley said. It can present immediately following surgery or radiation, or it can occur up to 30 years later.
Symptoms of lymphedema include swelling and pain. The first thing a patient might notice is a sense of fullness in the extremity the lymphedema is affecting.
“Your leg or arm might feel heavy,” Daley said. “Your watch may leave a mark on your arm where it didn’t before or your sock might feel tighter on your leg.”
Lymphedema is chronic, but it can be managed through specialized treatment ““ a four-component complete decongestive therapy program that includes cleaning and moisturizing the skin; exercise, which helps drain the excess fluid; manual lymph drainage, a specialized, light-touch massage that incorporates healthy lymph nodes as drainage sites for the extra fluid; and compression, which can include sleeves, hose or short-stretch bandages that limit fluid return to the affected site.
The problem with lymphedema is that it often goes undiagnosed and untreated because it’s frequently confused with other forms of edema (the buildup of excess fluid).
The sooner you start treatment, the better the outcome, so it’s important to seek a certified lymphedema therapist for treatment.
“Any therapist can legally treat this, but if they haven’t been trained in it, they may not know what they’re doing,” Daley said.
St. Elizabeth Rehabilitation Services has four experienced certified lymphedema therapists (CLTs) on its team. In 2014, the CLTs treated 110 lymphedema patients, most of whom had a history of cancer, though about 25 percent developed lymphedema from other sources. For more information, call Daley at (859) 301-2168.
