There’s always something going on in the world of lymphedema and lymphatic research! It can be a lot to keep up with, so here’s a digest of some of the latest headlines from the past week carefully curated to keep you in the lymphie loop.

“The tiny magnets covered in sugar that could be used to help spot if a cancer has spread”

The traditional method to determine whether or not a cancer has spread is to identify the lymph node nearest the tumor (called the sentinel node) by injecting a radioactive substance in the area around the tumor. Once the sentinel node is found, it can be removed for biopsy — an expensive procedure that often carries a health risk.

This may change, though, after a recent study done at the University of California found the use of tiny magnetic beads coated in sugar are as effective as the conventional radioactive technique for locating the sentinel node, without the risky radiation exposure:

“This is a very promising technology that could have several advantages for the patient, the surgeon, the staff and the NHS,” says Jayant Vaidya, a professor of surgery and oncology at University College London.

This technology is currently being tested in the UK, in trials with breast cancer.

READ THE ARTICLE AT THE DAILY MAIL.

“Compression Therapy Market Expected to Expand at a Steady CAGR through 2025”

The compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of the compression therapy market is predicted to grow through 2025 due to advancements in technology and compression therapy’s increasing acceptance as a method of choice among patients. It’s predicted that advances in garments, textile technology, compression stockings, and bandages aimed at improving patient comfort are expected to drive the market’s growth.

Hopefully this translates into garments becoming more accessible for patients seeking compression therapy — and maybe more fun color options for those of us bored of that dull, medical beige!

READ THE MARKET INSIGHTS AT MEDGADGET.

“Global Women’s Health Rehabilitation Products Market Will Increase by 5.0% Annually Till 2022”

According to an analysis report by Zion Market Research, the global women’s health rehabilitation products market accounted for around 2.50 billion USD in 2015, and is expected to reach approximately 3.30 billion USD by 2021 — a compounded annual growth rate of 5.0%. The previously untapped market, increasing prevalence of chronic disease, emerging technologies, and government support are expected to encourage this growth, despite the high cost and lack of awareness of the devices themselves.

The report categorized the market of women’s health rehabilitation products into segments according to therapy and product types; lymphedema was among the eight product types identified.

READ THE REPORT SUMMARY AT DIGITAL JOURNAL.

“SLN Biopsy Alone Can Reduce Surgical Morbidity in Early Cervical Cancer”

A new prospective study presented at the 48th Annual Meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology suggests that, among women with early cervical cancer, those that had a sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy alone had fewer surgical complications, less incidences of lymphedema, and overall better quality of life than patients who had a full pelvic lymph node dissection.

READ ABOUT THE STUDY AT CANCER NETWORK.

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PS: Wishing you an Irish lymphie blessing this St. Patrick’s Day weekend!