Lymphoedema month
March 5, 2013
MARCH marks the first
Lymphoedema Awareness Month
campaign, which aims to help
educate cancer patients about the
early signs and symptoms of
lymphoedema, encourage
sufferers to manage their condition,
and raise funds for vital research.
Lymphoedema is a persistent
swelling of the limb(s) and other
areas of the body (commonly
referred to as elephantiasis), and
can result in loss of limbs.
It is estimated that around
400,000 Australians suffer from
lymphoedema, a condition for
which there is no cure.
Early intervention is the primary
means of limiting the impact
lymphoedema has on patients.
There are two types of
lymphoedema, primary and
secondary, with ‘primary’ effecting
approx one in every 6,000 births;
whilst ‘secondary’ is the most
common type and can develop
after part of the lymphatic system
is damaged and may occur as a
result of cancer treatments.
According to Cancer Australia, of
the 120,700 people diagnosed with
cancer each year, around
50,000 have a 20% risk of developing
secondary lymphoedema with
approx 12,000 survivors likely to
develop the disorder to some
degree in their lifetime.
See lymphoedema.org.au.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 05 Mar 13To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 05 Mar 13
