Lymphedema and Lymphoma: What Are The Causes?
Lymphedema is abnormal swelling due to the presence of excess lymphatic fluid within the tissues. This swelling occurs when the lymphatic system malfunctions or is damaged.
Lymphedema occurs most commonly in the extremities (arms or legs); however, it can also affect the trunk, breast, abdomen, neck, head, and or genitals. Symptoms can be uncomfortable, painful and may become chronic. In addition to being uncomfortable and unsightly, lympedema increases the risk of severe infection from minor injuries.
Causes
Lymphedema is caused by the blockage or damage to the lymph system that prevents the normal flow of fluid. Lymphoma and its treatments put patients at risk for secondary lymphedema (as opposed to primary lymphedema which is hereditary), even after the lymphoma goes into remission. Surgery or radiation treatment for lymphoma and other types of cancer such as breast and testicular cancers, blood vessel surgery and liposuction are all possible causes of lymphedema.
Symptoms
As discussed above, localized swelling is the primary symptom. Early signs may include:
- Soreness, weakness, redness, heaviness, or tightness in one of your limbs
- Decreased flexibility in a wrist or ankle
- Tight-fitting rings or shoes.
Treatment
There is no medical cure for lymphedema. The best option is to care for it as best as possible to prevent it from getting worse. Hopefully, the lymph system will heal sufficiently for it to go away.
Treatment can involve everything from mild exercises various forms of compression. In all cases, it is very important for the patient to keep the affected limb clean, dry, and free from cuts and scratches. Manual drainage stimulated by massage may also be an option. In severe cases, surgical removal of tissue might be required.
Ideally a physician can work with a lymphedema patient to develop an overall treatment strategy known as "complex decongestive therapy." It is recommended that lymphedema patients or those at risk for lymphedema wear a medical ID bracelet or necklace to notify medical personnel of the risks and potential complications such as infections.
Related Articles
Photo: Pexels
More Articles
More Articles
Amazon.com is pleased to have the Lymphoma Information Network in the family of Amazon.com associates. We've agreed to ship items...
The question ought to be what are myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), since this is a group of similar blood and bone marrow diseases that...
Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC) is a very rare and aggressive skin cancer that usually develops when a person is in his or her 70s. It is...
At some point, the Seattle biotech company Cell Therapeutics Inc (CTI) should earn an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records for utter and...
Site Beginnings
This site was started as Lymphoma Resource Page(s) in 1994. The site was designed to collect lymphoma...
Three papers appearing in the journal Blood and pointing towards a regulator-suppressor pill could offer hope to blood cancer...
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted a third so-called Breakthrough Therapy Designation for the investigational oral...
The US Food and Drug Administration today has approved an expanded use of Imbruvica (ibrutinib) in patients with...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has announced that it has granted "Breakthrough Therapy Designation" for the investigational agent...
According to a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team from the University of California, San...
Pharmacyclics has announced that the company has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for...
New research suggests that frontline radioimmunotherapy...
Gilead Sciences has announced results of the company's Phase II study of its investigational compound idelalisib, an oral inhibitor of...
