Editing Lymphedema (section)

===Laser therapy===
[[Low-level laser therapy]] (LLLT) was cleared by the [[Food and Drug Administration (United States)|US Food and Drug Administration]] (FDA) for the treatment of lymphedema in November 2006.<ref>[http://www.dotmed.com/news/story/3067/ dotmed.com December 27, 2006] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107145043/http://www.dotmed.com/news/story/3067 |date=January 7, 2010}} ''Low Level Laser FDA Cleared for the Treatment of Lymphedema''. (accessed 9 November 09)</ref> According to the US [[National Cancer Institute]], LLLT may be effective in reducing lymphedema in some women. Two cycles of laser treatment were found to reduce the volume of the affected arm in approximately one-third of people with post-mastectomy lymphedema at three months post-treatment.<ref>[http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/supportivecare/lymphedema/HealthProfessional/page3#Section_68 National Cancer Institute: Low-level laser therapy] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090924235935/http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/supportivecare/lymphedema/HealthProfessional/page3 |date=2009-09-24}} accessed 9 November 09</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Carati CJ, Anderson SN, Gannon BJ, Piller NB | title = Treatment of postmastectomy lymphedema with low-level laser therapy: a double blind, placebo-controlled trial | journal = Cancer | volume = 98 | issue = 6 | pages = 1114–1122 | date = September 2003 | pmid = 12973834 | doi = 10.1002/cncr.11641 | s2cid = 7043788 | doi-access = free}}</ref>

A new therapeutic approach involving the drug QBX258 has shown promising results in the treatment of lymphedema. Although it did not reach statistical significance, QBX258 treatment modestly decreased periostin expression and the number of CD4+ and CD4+IL4+ cells in lymphoedematous skin. Notably, QBX258 significantly reduced the expression of Th2-inducing cytokines, improving physical and social quality-of-life measures for patients. However, psychological improvements were not observed.<ref name=":1" />