Common Misconceptions about Lymphedema and Advances in Treatment

When there is a problem in the lymphatic system, it’s not like a toxic clog that prevents a house’s pipes from draining correctly. That’s the wrong mental image to use. Instead, think of a malfunctioning lymphatic system as a house that’s full of termite damage, where the entire architecture of the body has become abnormal. Sure, it may start as fluid accumulation, perhaps even in a single location, but the tissues become so altered throughout the body that the entire system changes for the worse.

 Ensuring Every Lymphedema Patient Receives the Best Care Possible

As medical professionals, if we can facilitate lymphatic drainage so there is no stasis fluid we can work to reduce the consequences of lymphedema. That means if we can nip edema in the bud, and prevent it from worsening, we drastically reduce the chances of lymphedema occurring. This helps preserve a patient’s quality of life.

Lymphedema—More Than Just Cancer’s Nasty Little Secret

Ask a breast cancer survivor about her lymphedema and you are likely to hear her say, “It’s worse than my cancer. They cured my cancer. Lymphedema is forever.” However, as familiar as we all are with breast cancer, when you ask someone to tell you everything they know about lymphatic disease and lymphedema, they just scratch their head. Most Americans know little about these diseases, and that includes medical professionals.

New Science and Lymphedema

New research is proving that it’s crucial to have a lymphatic-first mindset. Why? Because all edema is lymphatic overload - a fact that phlebologists and other medical practitioners learn in their training, but isn’t emphasized in mainstream medical education.

A Painful Lymph Illness Often Follows Cancer

Many cancer survivors develop lymphedema, which can lead to serious infections like the one that landed Ms. Malone in the hospital over a year ago. Though it can occur without cancer, patients whose lymph nodes were removed during cancer treatment are particularly susceptible. Some studies suggest that 30 to 40 percent of breast cancer survivors develop lymphedema, sometimes years after surgery.

Efforts Mount to Combat Lymphedema, A Devastating Side Effect of Cancer Care

Lymphedema is beginning to get more attention in part because so many cancer patients now are living far longer, forcing doctors and researchers to focus on the long-term effects of cancer treatments.

I Have Lymphedema and I'm Mad as Hell

Getting lymphedema “felt like a punishment for having cancer”. When asked why, after all she’s been through with cancer, she didn’t just curl up in a corner and give up, she simply replied — “I was pissed off!”