Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Women who have undergone prior surgery and/or radiotherapy for breast cancer

- No metastatic disease

- Must have lymphedema, meeting the following conditions:

- Stage II disease

- Swelling unrelieved by elevation, arm may be hard, may not pit with
pressure, or skin changes have taken place

- Received prior professional treatment for lymphedema

- Requires life-long, at home self-care (e.g., compression sleeves)

- No history of bilateral lymphedema prohibiting extracellular fluid comparison to an
unaffected limb

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Inclusion criteria:

- Able to read, write (for 20 minutes), and speak English

- Willing and able to drive to the study site or agree to be seen in an outpatient
setting (e.g., private therapist office, outpatient clinic, physicians office, or own
home) once

Exclusion criteria:

- Has medical condition that could cause edema, including any of the following:

- Symptomatic congestive heart failure

- Chronic/acute renal disease

- Cor pulmonale

- Nephrotic syndrome

- Nephrosis

- Liver failure

- Cirrhosis

- Pregnant or expect to become pregnant during course of the study

- Unable to stand upright for measurement of height and weight

- Has a metal implant, internal defibrillator, or pacemakers

- History of suicide attempts

- No recent suicidal ideation (within last 6 months)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

- See Disease Characteristics

- No concurrent intravenous chemotherapy or radiotherapy for active cancer

- No concurrent antipsychotic medication (i.e., haldol, thorazine, stelazine)