(San Antonio) - Contrary to what was thought, a weight lifting program can not increase the risk of swelling of the arm caused by lymphedema in breast cancer survivors. This is according to a new study conducted by the same researchers who have previously found that weight lifting can help patients with breast cancer that already have lymphedema in their arms to gain strength.
Lymphedema is the accumulation of fluid that causes swelling. It may be a lasting side effect on the removal of lymph nodes during breast cancer surgery.
To avoid the development of condition or worsen, the vast majority of 2.4 million survivors of breast cancer in the US are usually advised by raising children, heavy bags, or anything else weighing more than 5 pounds .
But studies challenge such a council.
The discoveries "does not mean that women can simply leave, buy a set of weights and start their own rehabilitation program," says researcher Kathryn Schmitz, PhD, MPH, associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
Weight Lifting Fat Loss Workout - Weight Lifting May Be OK After Breast Cancer Surgery
What "breast cancer survivors should do is go to your doctor and insist on getting a prescription for physiotherapy. The physiotherapist can evaluate them and develop a safe weight lifting program," says Schmitz.
The new study was presented at the San Antonio Mamam Cancer Symposium and published online in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The study involved about 150 breast cancer survivors who had their cancer diagnosed from one to five years previously. Everyone had two or more lymphatic ones removed, and none had signs of lymphedema when they entered the study.
Arm measurements were taken throughout the study of one year. A woman was considered to have lymphedema if her affected arm swelled 5% or more.
eleven percent of 72 women in the weight lifting group had its affected arm swell 5% or more vs. 17% of 75 women who have not changed their normal physical activities.
Among women who had five or more lymph nodes removed during breast cancer surgery, 7% of 45 women in this group had 5% or more arm swelling compared to 22% of 49 Women who did not raise weights. This translates into a 70% reduction at risk, SCHMITZ says.
Women in the weight lifting group received a one-year association for a local fitness center. For 13 weeks, they attended small lessons, two weeks, 90 minutes led by certified fitness professionals who have taught them safe techniques for weight lifting using weights and free machines. The weight was slowly increased for each exercise if women did not have arm symptoms, including swelling, pain, tingling or numbness.
For the rest of the study, women exercised on their own while they are being monitored by any change in symptoms.
The rest of the women were not invited to start weight training, and they got a one-year pass for a health club only when the study ended.
any woman who developed lymphedema received a custom compression piece for the affected arm and was forced to use it if performing weight lifting exercises.
Alphonse Taghian, MD, PhD, Chief of Mama Oncology Radiation at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, tells WebMD that he thinks the study will have "great impact."
"This will change the way we advise women, who are usually afraid to use their affected arm. They do not need to be afraid," says Taghian, who was not involved in the study.
They say: "Women have to be taken care of [Survey] will not cause damage," he says.
But another cancer specialist and exercise drives that the newest study is needed before any advice to avoid lifting heavy objects can be changed.
Lee W. Jones, PhD, Scientific Director of the Center for Duke for Cancer Survival at Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center, tells WebMD that while the study is "a step in the right direction", the number of Women studied was "small and the number of patients who actually developed lymphedema was especially small," he says.
Of the 61% of women suffering less invasive biopsies of the sentinel lymph node and have only one or two we removed, up to 7% develop lymphedema.
"This is a real life concern that often limits your ability to work, play with your children, even raise all the holiday bags this season," says Schmitz.
Insurance co-payments usually cover the cost of five to 10 physiotherapy sessions, SCHMITZ says. If you do not have insurance, the cost varies widely, but it is typically in the range of $ 75 to $ 100 per session.
