Outpatient Rehabilitation

More About the Lymphedema Program

Carrie Marcil, PT, outpatient rehabilitation supervisor, says that until recently, the majority of her patients were breast cancer survivors who had developed the condition in their arms and hands. Now, thanks to a heightened awareness on the part of surgeons and oncologists, breast cancer patients are being educated in aggressive preventive techniques, which can curtail the development of lymphedema.

Lymphedema may also develop in the legs and feet, often secondary to abdominal or groin surgery. In either case, treatment is the same. Left untreated, the condition can become severe, painful, disfiguring and resistant to treatment. At the first sign of lymphedema, patients should be referred for treatment because early diagnosis and treatment significantly improves the prognosis.

Suzanne Gilstein, RN, works as a breast health navigator in the Comprehensive Cancer Center at The Miriam Hospital and refers many of her patients to the hospital’s
lymphedema program. “The therapists are wonderful and many of my patients are pleased with how sensitive and how helpful they are. I’ve had very good feedback from them,” she says.

Gilstein detects lymphedema early and continues to see patients for years to track their progress. This is especially important, as lymphedema sometimes takes years to develop. Gilstein can assess them, even before they see their oncologist, for the earliest intervention.

• Referrals

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