Low Level Laser Treatment and Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema

Manual Lymphatic Drainage (massage therapy) with compression (wearing a tight sleeve on the arm) is the current standard of treatment for breast cancer related lymphedema (arm swelling). Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) was approved in 2006 by the FDA for professional and self/home treatment of lymphedema. LLLT is being offered as a treatment option in many lymphedema treatment settings, but there are few studies of the effectiveness of LLLT as a stand-alone lymphedema treatment or as a possible complementary lymphedema treatment modality to Manual Lymphatic Drainage. The objective of this proposed pilot study is to examine the impact of Advance Practice Nurse (ANP) administered LLLT, as both a stand-alone and complementary treatment, on arm volume, symptoms, and quality of life (QOL) in breast cancer survivors with lymphedema. Findings from this pilot study will be used to determine if LLLT has possible value in the treatment of lymphedema and warrants subsequent evaluation in a larger study.