Water in the feet with cancer

Some patients suffering from cancer also have water in their feet. During operations to cure cancer, lymph nodes are also removed. The disadvantage of this is that the lymph can no longer drain from the areas supplied by the lymph nodes and thus becomes congested.

This leads to water in the feet, a lymphedema. Irradiation as part of radiotherapy in the leg area can also cause oedema or lymph vessels are inflamed and thus unable to function. In cancer, water is only found on the side that was treated, whereas other causes always occur on both sides.

Since the history of cancer patients is known, there is no need for a diagnosis to clarify the edema. It is useful to document the circumference of the foot or swelling as the disease progresses. The usual therapy for water in the feet also helps patients with cancer.

Compression of the foot, movement and elevation have a decongesting effect. In addition, there are specially trained physiotherapists who perform lymphatic massages for oncological patients. During these massages, the water is virtually forced out of the affected area.

The thyroid gland is an important organ for keeping the human metabolism in balance with the help of thyroid hormones (T3, T4). Certain diseases of the thyroid gland can also cause water in the feet. To be more precise, this is not water, but protein-sugar compounds.

Colloquially, however, water in the feet is still often spoken of. An underfunction of the thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) often leads to water in the feet. The exact cause is not completely clear, but it is clear that the back of the foot is particularly swollen.

An underfunction of the thyroid gland is usually inflammatory or caused by iodine deficiency, rarely it is congenital. The special form of edema occurring in these diseases is called myxedema. However, a certain form of hyperthyroidism, Graves’ disease, is also often accompanied by water in the patient’s feet.

There are a number of values and tests that can be used to differentiate the various thyroid diseases. These include the determination of the thyroid hormones T3, T4, TSH and possibly certain antibodies (TRAK, TPO), as these are often autoimmune diseases. In addition, an ultrasound should be performed.

A nuclear medical diagnosis with the help of a scintigraphy can also be useful in some cases. The therapy against the water in the feet is directed causally against the triggering disease of the thyroid gland. If the thyroid gland is under control, e.g. with hormone substitution, the edema usually subsides. Supportive measures such as compression and elevation of the feet are of limited help in myxedema, as it is not simply a matter of water retention.