Lymphedema News and Research

RSS

Lymphedema is a condition that can cause significant swelling of the upper and lower extremities due to the build-up of excess lymph fluid. This can occur when the lymphatic system, which is responsible for draining excess fluid from the body and is a key component of the immune system, is damaged or altered. In breast cancer patients, this can occur after surgery, such as removal or biopsy of the lymph nodes, and/or radiation therapy. It is estimated that six percent to 40 percent of patients with breast cancer develop lymphedema, and that it often occurs within the first two years after surgery. For some cancer survivors and others at risk, a low level lymphedema can occur 10 years to 15 years following the initial primary treatment and develop into a condition that has a serious impact on overall health and quality of life.

Bioimpedance device better than tape measure for assessing lymphedema risk in women

Bioimpedance spectroscopy is better than a tape measure for assessing a woman's risk for developing lymphedema, painful swelling in the arm after breast cancer surgery, according to interim results of a study led by Sheila Ridner, PhD, RN, Martha Ingram Professor and director of the PhD in Nursing Science Program at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing.

8 May 2019

Study provides new data on health-related quality of life in patients with chronic edema

Final results of the large, international LIMPRINT study have provided new data on the prevalence of chronic swelling and the devastating impact it can have on health-related quality of life.

26 Apr 2019

Study yields patient-driven recommendations to reduce breast cancer-related financial burden

A qualitative study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health yielded nine patient-driven recommendations across circumstances that include changes to insurance, supportive services and financial assistance to reduce long-term, breast cancer-related economic burden.

8 Mar 2019

Mercy Medical Center announces installation of premium Resona 7 ultrasound machines

Mercy Medical Center, a nationally recognized medical facility, has announced the installation of five premium Resona 7 ultrasound machines from Mindray for the hospital's Vascular Center, Paul R. Lucas, M.D., FACS, RPVI, Director, The Vascular Center at Mercy has announced.

23 Aug 2018

Economic burden of breast cancer can continue long after diagnosis

The financial fallout from breast cancer can last years after diagnosis, particularly for those with lymphedema, a common side effect from treatment, causing cumulative and cascading economic consequences for survivors, their families, and society, a study led by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers suggests.

22 Aug 2018

Machine learning approach can accurately detect lymphedema among breast cancer survivors

Machine learning using real-time symptom reports can accurately detect lymphedema, a distressing side effect of breast cancer treatment that is more easily treated when identified early, finds a new study led by NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing and published in the journal mHealth.

7 Jun 2018

Early intervention highly effective in reversing lymphedema

A study conducted by researchers at The University of Kansas Cancer Center has found that early, ongoing screening of lymphatic function and immediate patient-administered therapies are highly effective in improving outcomes for women at high risk for breast cancer related lymphedema.

10 May 2018

Researchers refine two innovative surgery techniques for effective treatment of lymphedema

Lymphoedema is fluid retention in the tissue caused by damage to the lymphatic system and is one of the most serious side-effects of cancer operations.

12 Feb 2018

Scientists unravel structure of protein behind sense of touch

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have solved the mystery of the structure of Piezo1, a member of a family of proteins that convert physical stimuli such as touch or blood flow into chemical signals.

21 Dec 2017

Stem cell researchers make advance toward long-lasting blood vessel repair

Stem cell researchers at Emory University School of Medicine have made an advance toward having a long-lasting "repair caulk" for blood vessels. The research could form the basis of a treatment for peripheral artery disease, derived from a patient's own cells. Their results were recently published in the journal Circulation.

24 Oct 2017

So much care it hurts: Unneeded scans, therapy, surgery only add to patients’ ills

When Annie Dennison was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, she readily followed advice from her medical team, agreeing to harsh treatments in the hope of curing her disease.

23 Oct 2017

Portable scanner can measure limb disfigurement easily in patients with elephantiasis

An estimated 120 million people worldwide are infected with lymphatic filariasis, a parasitic, mosquito-borne disease that can cause major swelling and deformity of the legs, a condition known as elephantiasis.

16 Oct 2017

Reducing DVT and leg ulcers through personalized compression socks

Professor Charles McCollum, who heads up the vascular studies unit, is a research vascular surgeon, and he developed four-layer bandaging technique, which is the gold standard treatment for healing up leg ulcers by compression.

5 Jul 2017

Novartis, Bristol-Myers Squibb collaborate to examine combination therapies for metastatic colorectal cancer

Novartis today announced it has entered into a clinical research collaboration in which Bristol-Myers Squibb will investigate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of Mekinist (trametinib) in combination with Opdivo (nivolumab) and Opdivo + Yervoy (ipilimumab) regimen as a potential treatment option for metastatic colorectal cancer in patients with microsatellite stable tumors where the tumors are proficient in mismatch repair (MSS mCRC pMMR).

5 Jun 2017

Study identifies sentinel-lymph-node mapping as safe, accurate way to stage endometrial cancer

Emma Rossi, MD, in the UNC Department of Obstetric and Gynecology's Division of Gynecologic Oncology, has published a study in Lancet Oncology online that identifies sentinel-lymph-node mapping as a safer and less-invasive method of staging endometrial cancer that is equally as accurate as the more traditional lymphadenectomy.

21 Feb 2017

Lymphedema News and Research

Further Reading

Bioimpedance device better than tape measure for assessing lymphedema risk in women

Study provides new data on health-related quality of life in patients with chronic edema

Study yields patient-driven recommendations to reduce breast cancer-related financial burden

Mercy Medical Center announces installation of premium Resona 7 ultrasound machines

Economic burden of breast cancer can continue long after diagnosis

Machine learning approach can accurately detect lymphedema among breast cancer survivors

Early intervention highly effective in reversing lymphedema

Researchers refine two innovative surgery techniques for effective treatment of lymphedema

Scientists unravel structure of protein behind sense of touch

Stem cell researchers make advance toward long-lasting blood vessel repair

So much care it hurts: Unneeded scans, therapy, surgery only add to patients’ ills

Portable scanner can measure limb disfigurement easily in patients with elephantiasis

Reducing DVT and leg ulcers through personalized compression socks

Novartis, Bristol-Myers Squibb collaborate to examine combination therapies for metastatic colorectal cancer

Study identifies sentinel-lymph-node mapping as safe, accurate way to stage endometrial cancer

Study explores links between genetic susceptibility and heterogeneous phenotypes of lymphedema

New discovery could lead to effective drugs to prevent excessive lymphatic growth in cancer

Study identifies underlying cause for overgrowths in lower extremities of morbidly obese patients

Discovery of neuropilin 2 deficiency may lead to new therapies for edema and lymphedema

Studies look at alternative ways to overcome barriers and improve cancer screening rates

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

Latest News