Lymphoedema following breast cancer treatment is a poorly understood and under-researched condition which can significantly impact physical and psychological function, reduce quality of life and result in substantial cost burdens to both patients and the healthcare system. In these interactive modules we will cover an introduction to lymphoedema, lymphatic physiology and anatomy, assessment and treatment, as well as utilise case studies to understand the prospective surveillance and early intervention model of care in breast cancer rehabilitation.

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This course is brought to you by the Australian Lymphoedema Education, Research and Treatment program (ALERT) at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.
What You Will Learn

- Describe the prospective surveillance and early intervention model of care and outline how to implement this model across healthcare settings

- Explain the range of clinical assessments used to detect early breast cancer related lymphedema

- Explain why a multidisciplinary treatment approach may improve survivorship for those diagnosed with breast cancer

Syllabus

WEEK 1

Course Overview

In this module we outline what you will learn in the Lymphoedema Monitoring and Early Intervention After Breast Cancer online course and introduce you to your world-class education team.

Introduction to Lymphoedema

In this module we will explore the characteristics of lymphoedema, how it is classified, how it impacts patients and the evidence-based risk factors for breast cancer related lymphoedema.

WEEK 2

Lymphatic Physiology

In this module we will explore lymphatic physiology for breast cancer related lymphoedema.

Lymphatic Anatomy

In this module we will explore lymphatic anatomy for breast cancer related lymphoedema.

WEEK 3

Assessment & Treatment

In this module we will explore assessment and treatment strategies using a prospective surveillance and early intervention model of care for breast cancer related lymphoedema.

WEEK 4

Case Studies

In this module we will explore patient case studies to illustrate the application of a prospective surveillance and early intervention model of care.

Surgical Intervention