Effects Of Cancer Therapy On Lower Extremity Lymphedema

Lymphostatic edema associated with malignancies of the pelvis and abdomen is caused by treatment. Fundamentally, the treatment produces lymph transport impairment. While this is not usually associated with removal of the primary malignancy, it is associated with the accompanying lymphadenectomy and radiation therapy. This produces unilateral or bilateral lymphedema with or without genital edema. The localization of the lymphedema depends upon the extent of the lymphatic lesions produced by therapy. While interruption of lymph flow may occur because of lymph node blockage by malignancy, in fact, severance or ligation of lymph vessels, as well as lymph node extirpation, will produce the lymphatic obstruction. Furthermore, structural changes due to radiation cause transport impairment in the afferent lymphatics.