marsha, this is a very good question. it's my impression that someone asked
this during the class and dr. chikly said that there is evidence that
lymphatic work would NOT spread cancer cells. as nikki lee mentioned, the
level of pressure is gentle. however, i will point out that the level of
pressure used varies depending on what part of the body you are treating.
however, in the area of the chest, it is indeed very gentle.

if we are going to worry about things that might spread cancer, we could be
saying that it was too dangerous to do many things. mammograms, for instance
- look at the pressure that is exerted! also, if you are treating a woman
with engorgement, or other conditions making the breast even more tender than
usual, the pressure used is going to be extremely light. no "breast
stripping" (haven't ever found a description of what this really is but it
sounds SO awful).

what we have to remember about the role of the lymphatic system is that it is
the scavenger/cleanup system. you have to assume that cancerous tumors are
shedding cells and shedding dead cells and that there is cellular debris from
the cancerous cells just as there is from other cells in the body. what
happens when cancer spreads? cells travel and set up housekeeping. if the
cells are flushed out of the body, as the lymphatic system is supposed to do,
then they won't cause cancer in other locations.

the theory about the lymphatic system that we were taught is that if fluid is
"stagnant" in the tissues and not drained by the lympyhatic system, then
illnesses etc. can start more easily. so, theoretically performing lymphatic
techniques on a breast that has an undiagnosed cancer might actually help
improve the functioning of lymphatic system in that area, getting rid of the
cells shed by the cancer.

and of course, the main problem with the case you mentioned is that it was
"treated" as mastitis for far too long, which obscured the real diagnosis.
its important to keep the short time limit in mind no matter what treatments
are used.

carol brussel IBCLC

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