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Basic Anatomy and Physiology for Patients with Lymphedema February 19, 2007 -- Jeannette Zucker, a lymphedema specialist, discusses how lymphedema occurs, how to minimize the risk for swelling, and what to expect if treatment is necessary. Run time: 80 minutes |
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Memorial Sloan-Kettering doctors are focusing on several crucial quality-of-life issues in breast cancer survivors, including:
- lymphedema
- premature menopause after cancer treatment
- sexual health after breast cancer treatment
Lymphedema
Some breast cancer patients who had lymph nodes removed from under the arm during surgery or who were treated with radiation therapy can develop lymphedema (a swelling of the arm caused by fluid accumulation). Sentinel lymph node biopsy, an advance in the management of early-stage breast cancer, can help avoid this complication. Other factors can affect a person's risk for developing lymphedema, however, and a significant number of breast cancer survivors still suffer from severe lymphedema at some point.
Clinical studies at Memorial Sloan-Kettering have shown that patients who suffer from arm infections or injuries requiring antibiotics, or who gain weight -- especially after their diagnosis -- are at increased risk for developing lymphedema.
Our Integrative Medicine Service offers a six-week course, "Focus on Healing (Through Movement)," which includes therapeutic exercises to improve your range of motion and enhance your physical and psychological well-being. The Integrative Medicine Service offers other courses, including t'ai chi, yoga, and relaxation techniques, which may help breast cancer survivors manage some of the other potential effects of treatment such as pain and fatigue.
Premature Menopause
Some breast cancer treatments can cause the early onset of menopausal symptoms -- irregular periods, hot flashes, drying or thinning of vaginal tissues or the bladder, loss of interest in sex, insomnia and fatigue, and memory problems.
At Memorial Sloan-Kettering's Barbara White Fishman Women's Health Center, women treated for breast cancer can receive counseling and treatment to help them manage the symptoms of menopause and the increased risk of osteoporosis and heart disease that can occur after menopause. Physicians at the Women's Health Center care for both young women who are experiencing the early onset of menopause as a result of cancer therapy and older women who have reached menopause naturally, but whose choices for managing menopausal symptoms are limited because of their cancer histories. The Barbara White Fishman Women's Health Center is located in Memorial Sloan-Kettering's Rockefeller Outpatient Pavilion.
Sexual Health
Some women find cancer therapy has affected their feelings about, and desire for, sex. If you are having difficulty maintaining intimacy with your partner or find that it is too difficult for you to enjoy sex because of fatigue, pain, or discomfort, counselors at Memorial Sloan-Kettering's Sexual Health Program at the Barbara White Fishman Women's Health Center can help you discuss and address your concerns. They can also refer you to other doctors who treat any underlying problems that may be contributing to your concerns. See Sexual Health for more information.
