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Reducing the Swelling

New laser therapy among treatment options for lymphedema

Occupational therapist Katherine Konosky helps patients cope with lymphedema.

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Lymphedema -- which causes swelling in the arms or legs -- can be a frustrating and chronic long-term side effect of cancer treatment. We talked with Katherine Konosky, an occupational therapist who specializes in lymphedema treatment, about what people can do to alleviate symptoms. Be sure to check out her tips for prevention as well.

What is lymphedema and why does it occur?

Lymphedema is an accumulation of fluid in the tissue spaces of the body that causes swelling. When we're talking about cancer patients, lymphedema occurs when lymph nodes are removed or damaged in the course of treatment. For example, a patient may need a lymph node dissection to determine whether the cancer has spread. Or radiation may damage lymph nodes. Any time lymph nodes are injured, there's a chance the person will develop lymphedema.

With what types of cancers is this most commonly associated?

We see people who have been treated for cancers of the breast, ovaries, prostate, colon, and head and neck, as well as melanoma.

What are the signs?

Initially, someone might feel firmness in the affected arm or leg. You might be able to push your thumb into your arm or leg, and the thumbprint remains. Or parts of your limb might feel denser or have a different texture, for example swelling around the ankle.

What treatments are available?

People with lymphedema should see an occupational therapist for manual lymph drainage, a special form of light massage. A therapist can also teach patients deep breathing and stretching exercises that can increase the rate of fluid return. Compression garments or bandages may be helpful. In addition, we now offer a painless, low-level laser therapy that has been proven to help patients maintain fluid reductions or increase fluid reductions up to six months after treatment.

If we're being honest, most of us don't remember our high school biology classes well enough to remember what the lymphatic system does. Can you give us a refresher?

Lymph is a fluid in your body that contains white blood cells-which fight infection. Lymph flows through the body via a network of thin tubes, called lymph vessels, and small bean-shaped structures, called lymph nodes. If part of your lymphatic system is damaged or blocked, lymph cannot drain from nearby tissues. That's when you start to see swelling in an arm or a leg.

Are some people at higher risk of developing lymphedema?

Anyone who has undergone lymph node dissection or radiation that has damaged the lymph nodes is at risk. People who are overweight or have diabetes are at greater risk. But we don't fully understand why one person may develop lymphedema immediately, while another person may develop it several years down the road and a third person may never develop it. We do think that inflammation may play a role in its development, so we caution patients to be careful to prevent any type of trauma to the body, particularly to the limb affected by treatment.

Keep reading to learn the 7 Things You Can Do to Prevent Lymphedema

 

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This article first appeared in the Winter, 2010 issue of Thrive. Print the issue