Risk of Breast Cancer - Lymphedema Caused By Flying

Some have claim that flying after breast cancer operation had caused painful swelling in their arms. It is often warned that flying after operation to remove lymph nodes due to breast cancer can lead to lymphedema, a painful swelling in the arms.

The thoughts that fluid could easily be accumulated in a person's arm due to the changes in cabin pressure may influence the fluid movement in the lympathtic system that resulted the risk.

However in recent study, researchers found that lymphedema effects risk is small on breast cancer survivors in flight travel. The research examined 72 women before and after their air travelling. Majority have no signs of lymphedema effect, but only one shown signs of chronic swelling after six weeks. This findings were interesting but not definitive.

Normally, patients who have one or two lymph nodes removed will have no or less risk in flying compare to those that had completely removed the lymph nodes. The risks also depends on patients body fat and size of the arm.

Nevertheless, the risk of lymphedema appears to be small from flying.