? on LE treatment with active Cancer

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cinnamonsmiles
cinnamonsmiles Member Posts: 779
edited June 2014 in Lymphedema
? on LE treatment with active Cancer
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  • cinnamonsmiles
    cinnamonsmiles Member Posts: 779
    edited February 2013

    Hi, someone in another forum has Stage 4 breast cancer for many years. She has LE. She went to go get it treated and the therapist told her that they do not do treatment for LE while someone has active cancer because it can cause the cancer to spread.

    Kira, Binney, anyone else know of anything about this? I would like to pass on the info to her to help.

    Thanks.

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited February 2013

    Cinnamon, did the therapist cite specific reasons why not? Generally the protocol is no MLD directly over the cancer site, and only if the cancer is being treated at the time. If what you're talking about is palliative care, then the goals are different--comfort and ease, rather than full reduction or rigorous compliance. In that case a night sleeve can offer some containment and tissue support without being used primarily to reduce the swelling, and it's usually a comfort as well because it eases the heaviness and/or pain.

    Unless the therapist was able to give her specific reasons why not to treat in her particular circumstances, she might want to see another well-trained therapist for an evaluation.

    Give her a big gentle hug from all of us here!
    Binney

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  • kira66715
    kira66715 Member Posts: 4,681
    edited February 2013

    Cinnamon, Binney told me that when she went to the NLN conference two years before I went, there was controversy about treating stage IV women and people with active disease.

    What I heard at the NLN from Andrea Cheville was that stage IV women deserve to be treated,  and as far as I know, there is no evidence that MLD and/or compression spread cancer.

    When I worked at the rad onc's, some stage IV women had issues with fluid in their lungs and the therapists had to be careful, but I completely think the woman on the stage IV forum deserves treatment and there is no medical contraindication to it.

    It's old thinking, and she should see another therapist.

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  • Nitocris
    Nitocris Member Posts: 187
    edited February 2013

    Hi,

    Information on this topic was recently posted on the Norton School of Lymphatic Therapy FB page:

    Question: "Can MLD spread cancer?"

    Answer: " Cancer cells are aggressive and can pass through cell walls. MLD can not do this".

    Additionally, two research studies were posted:

    1.  "Manual lymph drainage in patients with tumoral activity".  Conclusion: "the treatment of lymphedema, including manual lymph drainage, does not aggravate the metastasis of cancer patients".

    http://digitalmedicaljournals.com/revista1/arquivos/volume2/Manual lymph drainage in patients with tumoral activity.pdf

    2.  "Is there a link between LE treatment and breast cancer reoccurence".  Conclusion: "Treatment of lymphoedema consisting primarily of low laser therapys and MLD does not impact on cancer reoccurence rate".

    http://www.lymphormation.org/journal/content/0601_link.pdf

    It is a controversial subject and more studies are needed but so far there is no evidence-based study showing the MLD would have a negative impact.  

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  • BeckySharp
    BeckySharp Member Posts: 935
    edited February 2013

    Cinnamon--I have a friend with Stage IV cancer who is getting CDT for LE at the therapy center where I go.  I will ask my therapist her opinion about this when I see her in a few weeks.  It has made a big difference in my friend's life.

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  • purple32
    purple32 Member Posts: 3,188
    edited February 2013

    You really do get the BEST links, Nitocris!
    thanks .

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