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“A critical weekly review of important new research findings for health-conscious readers”

BREAST CANCER, PHYSICAL THERAPY &

LYMPHEDEMA

Arm lymphedema, or chronic swelling of the arm, occurs in 10 to 30 percent of women following treatment for breast cancer.  When the lymphatic drainage network in the arm and hand has been disrupted by the surgical removal of axillary (armpit) lymph nodes, or by radiation therapy to the axilla (or, sometimes, following both types of treatment), the delicate network of lymphatic vessels that return excess tissue fluid back to the heart can become obstructed. This lymphatic obstruction can then result in chronic swelling of the hand and arm.  Patients with significant lymphedema of the arm following breast cancer treatment may experience considerable swelling (edema), heaviness, stiffness and discomfort of the affected hand and arm.

Unfortunately, there are no known effective methods available to prevent lymphedema, and once significant lymphedema does develop, compression sleeves and soft tissue massage are the primary treatment modalities currently available.  Unfortunately, currently available lymphedema treatments are often not highly effective for many patients, and there is no known cure for lymphedema once it develops.

Now, a newly published research study, in the British Medical Journal, suggests that physical therapy, when initiated early after breast cancer surgery, can significantly decrease the risk of arm and hand lymphedema.  In this prospective randomized clinical research study, 120 women who underwent removal of their axillary lymph nodes for breast cancer were randomized to one of two groups.  Women assigned to the experimental group underwent physical therapy 3 times per week, for a total of 3 weeks.  Physical therapy techniques used in this group included manual lymph drainage and soft tissue massage techniques, as well as progressive shoulder exercises.  Both groups of women also underwent the same lymphedema management educational course, but the control group of women did not receive any physical therapy interventions.

Among the 116 women who completed at least one year of follow-up, 18 women (16 percent) went on to develop lymphedema.  Fourteen of the women who developed lymphedema were in the control group, while the remaining 4 women were in the experimental group.  Thus, in this clinical study, early physical therapy following axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) was associated with a very significant 72 percent reduction in the risk of developing lymphedema, at least within the first year following breast cancer surgery.

Whether or not the use of early postoperative physical therapy can reduce the incidence of arm lymphedema over periods longer than one year is unknown at this time, and additional follow-up of the patients who participated in this clinical research study will be required to answer this very important question.  However, this is one of the very few studies available that suggests a role for physical therapy in the actual prevention of arm and hand lymphedema following ALND for breast cancer.  If additional, mature follow-up of these patients confirms a long-term benefit from early postoperative physical therapy in preventing arm lymphedema, then a strong case could be made for the routine use of early physical therapy in women who undergo ALND, and perhaps, as well, women who undergo sentinel lymph node biopsy with subsequent radiation therapy to the breast and armpit (axilla) area.

For additional information and resources related to cancer-associated lymphedema, please click on the links below:

http://www.cancersupportivecare.com/Abstracts/asbdpbtps.html

http://meeting.ascopubs.org/cgi/content/abstract/23/16_suppl/8185

http://www.annalssurgicaloncology.org/cgi/content/abstract/15/7/1996

http://www.cancerlynx.com/sln.html

http://doctorwascher.com/Archives/11-23-08.htm

http://doctorwascher.com/Archives/8-16-09.htm

For a somewhat lighter perspective on Dr. Wascher, please click on the following YouTube link: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-Tdv7XW0qg