October is breast cancer awareness month. Millions of women who beat breast cancer face a new challenge with lymphedema. Three to five million Americans suffer from the constant and painful swelling in the arms and legs. It can severely impact a woman’s quality of life, so doctors have developed new surgeries that are giving women hope and reduce their risk of developing lymphedema by 90%.
Lymphedema is a constant reminder of their battle with cancer. "We've never had many options for treating patients with lymphedema, but fortunately that's changing," said
Roman Skoracki, MD, at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.Dr. Skoracki is among a handful of surgeons in the United States performing two novel surgeries that are shown to be effective in reducing lymphedema.
