Study: Low-Power Laser May Help Lymphedema After Breast Cancer

Treatment with a low-power laser appears to provide some relief for about one-third of breast cancer patients who develop lymphedema following a mastectomy, according to Australian researchers.

In their study, 61 women who had developed lymphedema -- a swelling in the arm caused by excess fluid that collects when the lymph nodes and vessels are removed during surgery -- were randomly assigned to receive either one or two cycles of laser therapy or a fake treatment involving a disabled laser.

Although there was no immediate response to the treatment, reseaarchers reported that approximately one-third percent of the women had "a clinically significant reduction in the volume" of their swollen arm two to three months after two cycles of the laser therapy.

"The extracellular fluid index of the affected and unaffected arms and torso were reported to be significantly reduced at 3 months after 2 cycles of laser therapy, and there was significant softening of the tissues in the affected upper arm," the researchers reported in the journal Cancer.

They said, however, that laser therapy did not appear to improve range of movement of the affected arm, and there was no significant difference between the groups in quality of life and the ability to perform daily activities.

But they concluded that "two cycles of laser treatment were found to be effective in reducing the volume of the affected arm, extracellular fluid, and tissue hardness in approximately 33 percent of patients with postmastectomy lymphedema at three months after treatment."

Other Sources: Cancer