Background: Secondary lymphedema of the head and neck can develop as a result of obstruction of lymphatic channels following the surgical removal of lymph nodes and fibrosis due to irradiation. This can be treated with manual lymphatic drainage.
An increase of tumor recurrence due to this therapy is at controversial discussion. Patients: In a retrospective study patients treated for head and neck cancer were questioned on occurrence of lymphedema and therapy with manual lymphatic drainage.
Results: patients had received lymphatic drainage, whereas 91 patients belonged to the group without lymphatic drainage therapy. In 37 cases a tumor recurrence or local metastases were reported, 18 of whom had received lymphatic drainage and 19 belonged to the control group. An increased recurrence rate among patients who underwent a lymphatic drainage therapy could not be found.
Conclusion: A lymphatic drainage therapy for patients presenting with lymphedema after the oncological therapy does not increase the rate of local recurrencies. Moreover it improves the quality of life after the cancer therapy.
As only few data are available for cases with non in sano surgery and tumors with lymphangiosis carcinomatosa these cases should be excluded from a lymphatic drainage therapy.
