Strength Training: Safe in Breast Cancer Survivors with Lymphedema

Lymphedema — disfiguring, potentially disabling, and considered incurable — is a feared complication of breast cancer surgery with a reported incidence of 6% to 70% depending on diagnostic criteria. Standard advice is to avoid lifting heavy objects with the affected arm following breast cancer surgery. In a 1-year U.S. trial, 141 women (mean age, 57; 58% white, 38% black) with histories of unilateral, nonmetastatic breast cancer and diagnoses of stable lymphedema were randomized to twice-weekly progressive weight lifting or no intervention (control). Participants in the control group were asked not to change their exercise levels during the study and were offered supervised weight training to begin after study completion.

The proportion of p…