Radiotherapy rather than surgery may help reduce risk of lymphedema in patients with breast cancer

Patients with breast cancer may be able to avoid lymphedema, which can occur after surgery to remove lymph nodes in the armpit (the axilla), by having radiotherapy instead. New findings, presented at the 15th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC15) in Barcelona, suggest that axillary radiotherapy may be as effective at killing any remaining cancer cells, while being less likely to trigger lymphedema—an often painful swelling of the arm and armpit.