Occasionally lymphedema becomes prolonged and severe. It can be aggravated by poor protein intake that may result from loss of appetite or nausea and vomiting from chemotherapy . It can also be aggravated by a decrease of the protein in the blood called albumin. The decrease results in leakage of water into the tissues, which leads to additional arm or leg swelling.
Who Gets It A small number of people with cancer develop lymphedema. It is not unusual after treatment for several common cancers.
• Breast cancer. Primary radiotherapy to the breast is rarely associated with lymphedema. It is more common if
you are treated with radiotherapy after surgery to the regional lymph node areas.
• Malignant melanomas with lymph node dissection and/or radiation involving an extremity.
• Prostate cancer or gynecologic cancers after surgery, with or without radiation.
• Testicular cancer with lymph node dissection, with or without radiation.
• Patients who have had several courses of radiotherapy to the axilla , shoulder or groin, especially if surgery has
also been performed there to treat recurrent cancer.
Preventing Lymphedema If you have had any of the above procedures, you will have to take extra special care of the limb that might be affected. You should treat your arm or leg with the same care and attention you give to your face.
