The term lymphadema comes from the lymphatic system, which helps coordinate the immune system's function to protect the body from foreign substances and includes an extensive network of lymph vessels and lymph nodes. Here's how the lymphatic system works:
Excess fluid is collected from the space between tissues in the body and moves through the lymph vessels. The fluid
(now called lymph) isn't pumped through the body like blood, but instead is "pushed" through the lymph system as the
vessels are compressed by surrounding muscles.
Filters called lymph nodes remove certain harmful substances
from the lymph fluid, such as bacteria and debris. The fluid from most tissues or organs is filtered through one or
more lymph nodes before draining into the bloodstream.
What Is Lymphedema?
Lymphedema is an
abnormal buildup of fluid that causes swelling, most often in the arms or legs. The condition develops when lymph
vessels or lymph nodes are missing, impaired, damaged, or removed.
There are two types of lymphedema: primary
and secondary.
Primary lymphedema is rare and is caused by the absence of, or abnormalities in, certain lymph vessels at birth.
Secondary lymphedema occurs as a result of a blockage or interruption that alters the flow of lymph through the lymphatic system and can develop from an infection, cancer, surgery, scar tissue formation, trauma, deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot in a vein),
radiation, or other cancer treatment.
Who Is at Risk for Developing Lymphedema?
People who have had any of the following procedures may be at risk for developing lymphedema:
Simple mastectomy in combination with axillary (arm pit) lymph node removal.
Lumpectomy
in combination with axillary lymph node removal.
Modified radical mastectomy in combination with axillary lymph node
removal.
Combined cancer surgery and radiation therapy to a lymph node region (such as the neck, armpit, groin,
pelvis or abdomen).
Radiation therapy to a lymph node region.
Lymphedema can occur within a few days, months,
or years after surgery. A small amount of swelling is normal for the first four to six weeks after surgery.
What Happens After My Breast Cancer Surgery?
Lymphedema develops after breast surgery because there is an alteration in the
pathway that drains the fluids involved in the immune system. It can occur at any time after the surgery. If untreated, it
can become worse.
Following surgery, a physician will examine you and take arm measurements. Sometimes, there may
be redness or pain in the arm, which may be a sign of inflammation. Depending on your symptoms, your physician will then
consider the best treatment options for you.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Lymphedema?
If
you suspect any of the symptoms of lymphedema listed below, call your health care provider right away. Prompt treatment can help get the
condition under control.
Swelling in the arms, hands, fingers, shoulders, chest, or legs. The swelling may occur for the first time after a traumatic event (such as
bruises, cuts, sunburn, and sports injuries), after an infection in the part of the body that was treated for cancer, or after an airplane trip lasting more than three hours.
A "full" or heavy sensation in the arms or legs.
Skin tightness.
Decreased
flexibility in the hand, wrist, or ankle.
Difficulty fitting into clothing in one specific area.
Tight-fitting
bracelet, watch, or ring that wasn't tight before.
Lymph nodes help the body's immune system fight infections. Causes of swollen lymph nodes (glands) may include infection (viral, bacterial, fungal, parasites). Symptoms of swollen lymph nodes vary greatly. They can sometimes be tender, painful or disfiguring. The treatment of swollen lymph nodes depends upon the cause.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot in a vein located deep in the muscles of the legs, thighs, pelvis (lower torso), or arms. The most common symptoms of a deep vein thrombosis are swelling and pain in the leg that has the blood clot. A DVT is difficult to diagnose without specific tests in which the deep vein system can be examined.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and the second most common cause of cancer death in women in the U.S. Symptoms include a lump in the breast or underarm area, nipple pain, change in breast size or shape, an inverted nipple, nipple discharge, and breast skin changes. Treatment may involve chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy, hormone therapy, or surgery.
Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.
The breast generally refers to the chest, however, more specifically, to the mammary gland. The mammary gland is a milk producing gland comprised largely of fat. Within the mammary gland is a complex network of branching ducts. The ducts exit from sac-like structures called lobules, which can produce milk in females. The darkened area around the nipple is called the areola. Common medical concerns in regard to the breast include breast lumps, breast cysts, breast cancer, and breast infections.
Male breast cancer accounts for 1% of all breast cancers, and most cases are found in men between the ages of 60 and 70. A man's risk of developing breast cancer is one in 1,000. Signs and symptoms include a firm mass located below the nipple and skin changes around the nipple, including puckering, redness or scaling, retraction and ulceration of the nipple. Treatment depends upon staging and the health of the patient.
Lymphedema is a condition in which one or more extremities become swollen as the result of an impaired flow of the lymphatic system. There are two types of lymphedema; primary, secondary. Filariasis is the most common cause of lymphedema worldwide; however, in the U.S. breast cancer surgery is the most common cause. Symptoms include swelling of one or more limbs, thickening, cracked, and secondary bacterial or fungal infections of the skin. There is no cure for lymphedema.
Inflammatory breast cancer is an accelerated form of breast cancer that is not usually detected by mammogram or ultrasound. Symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer include pain in the breast, skin change in the breast area, bruise on the breast,sudden swelling of the breast, nipple retraction or discharge, and swelling of the lymph nodes.
Women's health is an important topic area to guide a woman through the stages of her life, as well as knowing the conditions and diseases that may occur. Educating yourself so that the transitions into different phases of life is key to a healthy, happy, and productive life.
Lifestyle changes, a healthy antioxidant-rich diet, exercise, and weight reduction can help reduce a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. It's important to be aware of how risk factors such as family history, lifestyle factors, breast conditions, radiation therapy, and hormonal factors may influence your chances of developing breast cancer. Mammography and breast self-examinations are crucial steps in breast cancer prevention.
A clinical trial is a research program conducted with patients to evaluate a new medical treatment, drug or device. The purpose of a breast cancer clinical trial is to find new and improved methods of treating the disease. Clinical trials make it possible to apply the latest scientific and technological advances to patient care.
During a breast cancer clinical trial, researchers, usually physicians, use the best available treatment as a standard to evaluate new treatments. These treatments may be a new drug, surgery or an alternative medicine.
First, researchers study new treatment options in the laboratory in test tubes and animals. If those results are promising, new treatments are further evaluated in a small group of people, and, finally, in a larger clinical trial.
When a new medical treatment is studied for the first time in humans, no one knows exactly how it will work. With any new treatment, there are possible risks as well as be...
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