Exercise improves symptoms of lymphedema in breast cancer survivors

arm lymphedema or chronic swelling of the arm occurs in 10-30 percent of women after treatment for breast cancer. When the lymphatic drainage in the arm was broken by surgical removal of lymph nodes the axilla by the surgeon or radiation therapy to the axilla (or sometimes as a result of both types of treatment), the delicate network of lymph vessels I can return the excess tissue fluid back to the heart can be blocked. This nodeChronic obstruction can lead to swelling of the hand and arm. Patients with significant arm lymphedema after treatment for breast cancer may experience significant swelling (edema), weight, stiffness and discomfort of the hand and struck his arm.

care for patients with breast cancer have traditionally discouraged heavy lifting after breast cancer surgery, for fear that this could increase arm lymphedema. However, a new perspectiverandomized clinical research challenges the traditional advice against strenuous exercise involving the upper limbs, including weight lifting as an exercise in empowerment.

This new study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, of 141 survivors of breast cancer lymphoedema. These women were divided into two groups, with a group of "treatment" at random to weight training twice a week and a progressive group of "control"women who were randomly assigned to no weight training. All women in this study were followed for one year, after which it was revalued by the degree of arm lymphedema. Importantly, all women who were randomly assigned to weight training group should use compression garments tailored when they were lifting weights.

Not surprisingly, women who participated in regular weight training reported significant improvement in upper body strength and lowerduring the course of this research study. Moreover, the end of a year, both for patients and a certified lymphedema specialist reported a significant reduction in the severity and frequency of symptoms of lymphedema among patients who were randomized to weight lifting. At the same time, weight lifting sessions twice a week had no significant effect on the magnitude of the swelling of the arm and hand among women with chronic lymphedema.

The results of this study are goodnews for breast cancer survivors with chronic lymphedema. The physicians caring for these patients should be informed of the results of this research study, and should begin to encourage their patients to participate in lymphedema formation of normal weight (provided of course that there are health problems that prevent the lifting of weights.) Not only does weight training regularly seem to reduce the severity and frequency of symptoms of lymphedema (based on the results of this study)but the added health benefits of this training include increased strength and reduced risk of osteoporosis.

Disclaimer: As always, my advice to readers is to ask the advice of your doctor before making significant changes in medications, diet or physical activity level

Dr. Wascher is an oncologic surgeon, professor of surgery, a widely published author and a surgical oncologist at Kaiser Permanente system of health care in Orange County,California

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