Introducing Santa Barbara's exclusive
Lymphedema Prevention Program
You can take control of your survivorship with simple, early lymphedema detection
– before it becomes chronic.
About the Program
Breast cancer-related lymphedema is a condition that can result from surgical, radiation, or taxane-based chemotherapy treatments. It can lead to abnormal swelling and discomfort in one or both arms. There is no cure for chronic breast cancer-related lymphedema. Once it develops, it requires lifelong management.
Our Prevention Approach
Breast cancer-related lymphedema of the arms develops in stages. When it is caught early, it can be treated and stopped before it gets worse and becomes a lifelong condition. Our new technology, the SOZO® Digital Health Platform, provides an L-Dex® score to help detect lymphedema before you feel noticeable swelling. This early alert allows us to work with you to take steps to stop lymphedema from getting worse, or to avoid getting it at all.
SOZO with L-Dex
The L-Dex score helps us assess whether you are developing lymphedema BEFORE you feel noticeable swelling. For best results, patients receive a baseline measurement before cancer treatment begins and are then tested regularly after treatment. If your L-Dex score increases above normal levels, we will evaluate you for early signs of lymphedema. If you don’t get a pre-treatment baseline score, we can still use the L-Dex test to help detect lymphedema early. The SOZO device is used to measure your L-Dex score. It looks like a scale, but it has places for you to put your hands and feet. You will not feel the SOZO test and it only takes 30 seconds to complete.
Program Guidelines by the American Society of Breast Surgeons
Prospective Surveillance of Breast Cancer Related Lymphedema using Bioimpedance Spectroscopy
First 3 years from DIAGNOSIS - test every 3 months
Years 4-5 from diagnosis - test every 6 months
Years 6 and on - test every 12 months
At-Home Compression Therapy for Early Lymphedema
If your healthcare provider finds signs of early lymphedema, they may prescribe at-home treatment with compression garments. Studies show that wearing your compression garments for 4 weeks for 12 hours per day can stop lymphedema from getting worse.
Lymphedema Prevention At-Home Instructions.pdf
Now included in the NCCN Guidelines of Survivorship
~ Stop Lymphedema BEFORE is starts ~
For more information, visit https://www.impedimed.com/patients/preventing-lymphedema
Shah C, Whitworth P, Valente S, Schwarz GS, Kruse M, Kohli M, Brownson K, Lawson L, Dupree B, Vicini FA. Bioimpedance spectroscopy for breast cancer-related lymphedema assessment: clinical practice guidelines. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2023 Feb;198(1):1-9.
Ridner SH, Dietrich MS, Boyages J, Koelmeyer L, Elder E, Hughes TM, French J, Ngui N, Hsu J, Abramson VG, Moore A, Shah C. A Comparison of Bioimpedance Spectroscopy or Tape Measure Triggered Compression Intervention in Chronic Breast Cancer Lymphedema Prevention. Lymphat Res Biol. 2022 Dec;20(6):618-628.
Fu MR, et al. L-Dex ratio in detecting breast cancer-related lymphedema: reliability, sensitivity, and specificity. Lymphology 2013;46:85-96.