During The Breast of Everything podcast, Justin Riutta, MD, director of Breast Cancer Rehabilitation and Lymphedema for Beaumont Health in Royal Oak, Michigan, sets the record straight on lymphedema, dispelling the many myths and misinformation patients are hearing and reading. For example, here are a few facts:

• Fewer than 10 percent of breast cancer patients will develop lymphedema.
• Exercise is recommended for patients with lymphedema.
• Don’t reach into a hot oven if you have lymphedema.

Thanks to improvements in surgical and radiation therapy techniques over the past decade, the incidence of lymphedema has decreased significantly. In fact, recent data shows the chance of breast cancer patients getting lymphedema has decreased from 20 percent to 10 percent over the past decade. 

To learn more about lymphedema and how to manage it, listen to The Breast of Everything podcast, hosted by Comprehensive Breast Surgeons Eric Brown, MD, FACS; and Linsey Gold, DO, FACS, FACOS.