Alan Lepley

Many women who undergo treatment for breast cancer are made well aware of how to treat their bodies once they leave the comforting care of the hospital. Most are warned about lymphoedema - the painful condition where limbs can swell if lymph nodes have been damaged through radiotherapy or have been removed during breast cancer surgery. And most women know how to limit their chances of developing it.

Alan Lepley was NOT one of those rare men who develop breast cancer, yet he had lymph nodes removed and went on to develop lymphoedema. Now he is receiving treatment for the condition at the Helen Rollason Cancer Support Centre in Essex.

It was 23-years-ago that Alan, 58, discovered the mole on his chest was a malignant melanoma. He left hospital after having the mole successfully removed. He says he thought nothing of it until he discovered a painful lump under his armpit. He sought medical advice again. Doctors performed surgery and removed 16 lymphnodes - two were cancerous. Lymph nodes are crucial links in the lymphatic system, which carries the lymphatic fluid around the body fighting off infection.

When they are removed or damaged the fluid can no longer flow through the system in the affected area so can cause it to build up and swell the affected limb. Many people who have lymph nodes removed or radiotherapy are lucky enough to never experience the condition. Others like Alan are learning to live with it.

Alan, of Rayne, Essex says he was unaware he should avoid lifting heavy objects, treat cuts with great care and NEVER to have injections in the arm where the lymph nodes had been removed. But three years ago he had a flu jab injection in that arm which resulted in his arm swelling to twice the size of his other arm when his doctor diagnosed lymphoedema.

“Most of the time it is not painful but occasionally it does ache, although it doesn’t stop me doing things,” said Alan, who runs the kitchen showroom Traditional Woodcraft in Rayne. It was his GP who told him that the Helen Rollason Appeal offered Manual Lymph Drainage - a type of massage performed by specialists that wrap then manipulate the limb to assist the lymphatic system. MLD encourages the fluid to flow through alternative channels therefore draining the limb to reduce swelling.

He asked for a letter of referral and through 11 sessions of MLD his arm slowly decreased in size.
Alan said: “It was well on the way to going back to normal although they do say it may never return to normal.” He hopes to return for follow-up sessions. He said: “The therapists doing MLD at the Essex centre are brilliant. I learned so much from them about the lymphatic system. It was fascinating. And they also told me I should have been wearing a pressure sleeve on my arm.”

He believes not enough people know about the condition: “With more cancers being diagnosed there should be more publicity about the things connected with it such at lymphoedema.” He added: “The centre is very relaxing. They are all so friendly as soon as you walk in you are made to feel at ease”.
“I found it useful to share experiences with other people there, too. I think we all need educating about cancer - forewarned is forearmed.”