Efforts to Prevent Lymphedema Post Cancer Treatment

Many hospitals here in different states are testing different steps to reduce the risk of Lymphedema, according to a report from Washington. These steps include simple exercises for arm strengthening, so that Lymphedema can be treated without surgical procedures. Lymphedema is a painful type of arm swelling. It is an after-occurrence of breast cancer treatment. It sometimes occurs in legs of patients of other kinds of cancers if their groin nodes are damaged and infected.

Other than exercises, wearing elastic bands is being tried. But it is a temporary remedy to prevent further swelling of the organ. Lymphedema is thought to be more dangerous than cancer, as it can occur even after two decades of treatment. Dr. Electra Paskett, epidemiologist at Ohio University is the one who is leading these studies. She aims to develop muscles in the arm in order to leave no room for the fluid to get stored. She herself is amongst the breast cancer treated patients, who faced Lymphedema too.

The purpose is to diminish the risk factor of Lymphedema occurrence, because, it has been experienced that after being operated, Lymphedema aggravates. During operation, radiation therapy or biopsy, if the lymph nodes under the arms are removed or damaged, damaging fluid can build up and again and swell the body part.

Dr. Electra says, “I have ladies tell me the Lymphedema is much worse than their cancer because the cancer is cured”. It is positively hoped that the studies prove to be fruitful to help the patients and offer them a better life, even after being treated for cancer.