Is there ever an appropriate situtaion to not have a SNB?

Judy6

My BS keeps hinting that I will have to have chemo.  So my thoughts are this:  if I have to have chemo anyway, why have the snb?  I am terrified of LE. 

Thanks,

Judy

marjie

There is very little risk of LE from SNB.  They have to check those nodes....in the past and sometimes still, they remove many of the nodes to biopsy and that's when you are at risk of LE. SNB is minimally invasive, and it's very important to get the status of your nodes for staging and treatment.

MadisoninMd

My MO requested a SNB before we decided on which chemo regimen I would have.  Negative nodes would be 4 rounds of TC while positive nodes would have been 6 rounds of ACT.   SNB is much less invasive than the traditional method.  Only a few nodes are removed and give you and the MO additional information in order to make an informed decision regarding chemo.  LE will always be a risk - but with a SNB it is a very small risk.  Marjie is right- it is very important to know the status of your lymph nodes to determine which treatment is appropriate in your case.

Binney4

Judy, there are many ways to lower your LE risk, and a good place to start would be to request a referral from any doctor on your team to a well-trained lymphedema therapist. Here's how to find one near you:
http://www.stepup-speakout.org/Finding_a_Qualified_Lymphedema_Therapist.htm

S/he can give you personalized risk-reduction tips, teach you a gentle lymph massage to keep things moving, take baseline arm measurements for future reference, and possibly fit you for a compression sleeve and glove or gauntlet (fingerless glove) to use prophylactically for exercise or travel. Information is key to staying healthy and moving forward with confidence.

Be well!
Binney

Judy6

Thanks Binney.  I found a therapist from the link that you provided and have a call out to her.  I will see if I can't get a referral.  What are the statistics for getting LE with a UMX and a SNB?

Thanks so much for all your replies