Royal Marsden Support Group report

Interview with Jean Mullen about her attendance at the LSN Royal Marsden Support Group Meeting on 21st September, 2006

Dr Mortimer attended the meeting and had a question and answer session with the support group. The questions were varied and covered a number of subjects. A synopsis follows:

Some breast cancer lymphoedema sufferers may have genetic tendencies to lymphoedema and tests are ongoing.

MLD should only start when limbs are normal and the cellulitis virus is dormant. It has been found that the MLD works best when the

whole limb is affected. Exercise works best for the lower extremities.

Operations :-

Knee replacement patients will have to be prepared for infection. Antibiotics need to be taken before the operation.

Plastic surgery for the removal of a growth will not require antibiotics.

Varicose veins if they need to be stripped. WARNING the lymph vessels will also need to be stripped. Laser treatment may be safer BUT this has not yet been fully evaluated.

Care

Magnetic bracelets do not work.
Antibiotics, if simple penicillin, does not cause long term harm.
NOTE spleen patients if on a low dose for life are doing ok
Broad spectrum antibiotics are not recommended.
Hypobaric oxygen is currently part of a long term experiment. Volunteers attend regularly for a six week period for this treatment and there has been some progress but that is all the information we have to date.
Rash and hardness of the circumference of the leg may not necessarily be cellulitis but rather the material in the support garment is causing an irritation of the skin.
In Australia low level laser has been experimented with and they have noticed reductions in the volume only.
If there is no MLD therapist near is SLD effective? There is no evidence as to how effective SLD is.

Diet

Weight loss is important.
Some children get problems with their guts,. which affects their diet ; remember that fat and lymphoedema are closely related.

We thank Jean for attending this meeting and giving us an update on what is happening elsewhere with other support groups.