Females who have survived breast cancer can fly without any fears, a new research has said.

University of Alberta researcher Margie McNeely stated that the theory that breast cancer sufferers are prone to lymphedema, is outdated.

Women have often been admonished that post breast cancer, pressure alterations in an airplane cabin could cause lymphedema, chronic swelling in the arm.

But, McNeely said that the risk is for those women who have had lymph nodes removed from the armpit, a common procedure during cancer treatment. When there is the potential for chronic swelling, these lymph nodes work to drain the fluid.

McNeely and Australian researcher Sharon Kilbreath compared two such groups of patients - one that had had their lymph nodes removed and one that had not. All the women were breast cancer survivors.

Findings showed that around 95% of the breast caner sufferers had no arm swelling.

Four females experienced had a slight increase but at a follow-up test, done six weeks later three were back to normal and only one woman was found at possible risk for chronic swelling.

McNeely stated that this research shows that while there is a risk of developing lymphedema during flight, that risk is very low. (With Inputs from Agencies)