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Managing lymphedema, a lingering problem for breast cancer patients
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
The prospect of lymphedema provokes substantial anxiety for many patients with breast cancer. For them, developing lymphedema can be worse than the cancer itself; it is a chronic problem that is time-consuming to manage and a constant reminder of their disease. The condition can limit patients’ activities and choice of clothes, often resulting in dramatic life changes. When healthcare professionals listen to patients’ concerns and provide information and referrals for appropriate treatment, it can lower these women’s level of distress and improve their quality of life.
| Commun Oncol 2006;3:304–308 | full text |  137 kb |