Lawenda BD, Mondry TE, Johnstone PA, et al.
CA: a cancer journal for clinicians. Date of publication 2009 Jan 1;volume 59(1):8-24.
1. CA Cancer J Clin. 2009 Jan-Feb;59(1):8-24. doi: 10.3322/caac.20001.
Lymphedema: a primer on the identification and management of a chronic condition
in oncologic treatment.
Lawenda BD(1), Mondry TE, Johnstone PA.
Author information:
(1)Radiation Oncology, Naval Medical Center, San Diego, CA, 92134, USA.
brian.lawenda@med.navy.mil
Summary for patients in
CA Cancer J Clin. 2009 Jan-Feb;59(1):25-6.
The primary goals of oncologic therapy are the compassionate care of cancer
patients, eradication of disease, and palliation of symptoms. Advances in various
targeted therapies such as highly conformal and image-guided radiotherapy
techniques, sentinel lymph node dissection, and molecularly targeted agents hold
the promise of allowing those goals to be reached with fewer treatment-related
complications. Unfortunately, certain side effects remain problematic due to the
inability to completely avoid injuring normal tissues. Lymphedema, a chronic
condition that occurs as a result of the body's inability to drain lymph fluid
from the tissues, is a common treatment-related side effect experienced by cancer
patients. In this review, many of the important aspects of lymphedema with which
clinicians who treat cancer patients should be familiar are outlined, including
the anatomy, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of this condition. The
authors also identify some of the resources available both to cancer patients
with lymphedema and to the clinicians who treat them. It is hoped that this
review will convey the importance of the early identification and management of
this incurable disorder because this is essential to minimizing its
complications.
(c) 2009 American Cancer Society.
DOI: 10.3322/caac.20001
PMID: 19147865 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
