Grant: Project Grant

Cancer-related lymphedema is a common side effect of cancer treatment that causes painful swelling in the arms or legs. This condition can lead to infections and greatly reduce a person's quality of life. Unfortunately, there is currently no cure-available treatments only manage the symptoms. Recent research from our team suggests that a type of fat found in many foods-called saturated fatty acids (SFAs)-may play a role in making lymphedema worse. These fats may damage the body's lymphatic system and interfere with its ability to repair itself. They may also cause stress inside cells through a protein called FABP4. In this project, we aim to understand exactly how SFAs contribute to lymphedema and to find out whether changing the amount of these fats in the diet can help reduce swelling and improve symptoms. Our research will focus on three goals: (1) studying increasing polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) can healing of the lymphatic system, (2) learning more about how the FABP4 protein is involved, and (3) testing whether a diet low in SFAs and high in PUFA can improve cancer-related lymphedema. This work could lead to new, non-invasive treatment options-such as simple dietary changes-that make a meaningful difference in the lives of people living with this chronic condition.