Mayo Clinic lymphedema and cancer rehabilitation specialists provide compassionate, comprehensive care for both people with cancer and without, and continue this care after cancer treatment as well.
People who have recently had cancer surgery involving lymph nodes are often at higher risk of developing lymphedema. The Lymphedema and Cancer Rehabilitation Center on our Rochester, Minnesota campus combines a range of supportive care and survivorship services to meet all your needs, so you can focus on healing and wellness.
Two areas of focus. One goal.
Lymphedema Clinic. Mayo Clinic doctors have extensive experience diagnosing and managing lymphedema, whether related to cancer or not. Each year, more than 3,000 people with lymphedema receive care at Mayo Clinic. This experience means that your care team is prepared with the knowledge and resources to provide you with exactly the care you need.
Cancer Rehabilitation. Our therapy and physician staff address cancer-related impairments and cancer treatment side effects related to surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. The Cancer Rehabilitation Center works in step with Mayo Clinic oncology teams to integrate therapy into your current cancer care plan.
Cancer treatment side effects can include lymphedema, weakness, debility, pain and fatigue. Diagnosing and treating these impairments can start before treatment, during active treatment, continuing into survivorship, or even during advanced cancer and in end-of-life settings.
The Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center meets the strict standards for a National Cancer Institute comprehensive cancer center, which recognizes scientific excellence and a multispecialty approach focused on cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
Your expert team works with you.
Our lymphedema and cancer rehabilitation team members have completed residency programs, fellowships, certifications and additional specialized education. They're experts in determining the best methods to help you.
One of the best things about coming to Mayo Clinic is how your team quickly and efficiently partners with other experts in specialties you may need, such as Mayo Clinic Vascular Centers, Breast Clinic, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and Oncology.
Physical medicine physician — Our lymphedema and cancer rehab physicians are expertly trained to coordinate your health plan. Using the latest technology to guide treatment, our providers are able to recommend advanced testing and beneficial interventional injections or procedures as well as surgical techniques to help alleviate your symptoms. Our physicians work with you to:
- Improve your endurance, strength and mobility.
- Bolster your self-efficacy.
- Make the activities of daily living and caring for yourself easier.
- Help you cope with anxiety, distress or other emotional issues.
- Reduce fatigue, pain and other lingering side effects.
- Return to work.
- Formulate a long-term plan for cancer survivorship.
- Help coordinate care with your oncologist or other medical providers.
Physical therapist and occupational therapist — Our therapists collaborate with PM&R physicians and other care providers to help reduce swelling and improve your symptoms, allowing you to get back to what you love to do.
Our therapists have advanced education to teach you about techniques and equipment that can help reduce lymphedema swelling, including:
- Exercises.
- Manual lymph drainage.
- Compression bandages.
- Compression garments.
- Sequential pneumatic compression.
Dealing with lymphedema and cancer side effects can be frustrating, but at the Lymphedema and Cancer Rehabilitation Center, you have an expert team to help you with your concerns.