Danish femtech startup Cacto Health has raised 3 million DKK (€400,000) to further develop its technology for early detection of lymphedema, a chronic condition affecting one in five breast cancer survivors.
The Aarhus-based company, founded in 2022, is creating a solution that enables at-home monitoring of the early signs of lymphedema, potentially transforming the standard of care for post-breast cancer treatment. Current diagnostic methods only identify lymphedema when the affected arm has already swollen by 10% compared to the unaffected arm, typically measured with a manual tape measure.
“Our solution can measure changes early—before the damage becomes too severe. Intervention can therefore begin much sooner. This way, women can avoid chronic lymphedema and the time spent wearing compression sleeves can be reduced,” explains Ida Grønborg, PhD in Human Nutrition from DTU and CEO & Co-founder of Cacto Health, in an interview with The Kitchen.
Lymphedema management typically requires patients to wear compression sleeves for up to 23 hours daily, often for the remainder of their lives, significantly impacting quality of life. The condition causes pain, reduced mobility, and psychological distress, with patients also facing increased risk of serious arm infections.
The funding round includes investments from Business Angels, EIFO Match Loans, and an Innobooster grant. The capital will support further prototype development and enable clinical testing on a larger cohort of high-risk breast cancer patients.
Despite addressing a condition that affects a substantial portion of the 10% of European women diagnosed with breast cancer, Grønborg notes that securing investment presented challenges typical in the women’s health space. “It’s an uphill battle standing in front of a room full of men and trying to explain why fluid buildup in the arm after breast cancer is a real problem,” says Grønborg. “Some see it as a cosmetic issue—but it’s about quality of life, pain, reduced mobility, risk of serious infection in the arm, and psychological burden.”
Cacto Health emerged from the Novo Nordisk Foundation-supported BioMedical Design innovation program, where Grønborg partnered with industrial designer Mads Skak to address this underserved market in cancer survivorship care.
The startup’s progress has been significantly bolstered by strong engagement from the patient community. “We wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for women with lymphedema across Denmark who have helped us. They make themselves available to us, even in the midst of their cancer treatment, answering questions, participating in user tests, and more,” Grønborg adds.
With lymphedema representing a growing concern as breast cancer survival rates improve, Cacto Health’s technology addresses a critical gap in post-treatment monitoring and intervention in the oncology care pathway.
