Good News for Breast Cancer Survivors

More than 150 breast cancer survivors at risk for lymphedema were randomized to a one-year weight-lifting group or to no intervention. At the end of the study those in the weight-lifting group actually had less lymphedema than those with no intervention (5% vs. 11%). Among women who had five or more nodes removed the difference…

Lymphedema Responds Positively to Weight Lifting

One of the most feared complications of breast cancer surgery is lymphedema, a potentially disfiguring, disabling, and incurable problem. Consequently, weight lifting has generally been proscribed for those women with this condition--preventing them from getting the well-established health benefits of strength-training, including increased bone density. Now, in a year-long, randomized, controlled trial of twice weekly…