Surgeon left positive lymph node with biopsy clip

SunnyGirlsMom

Hello fellow fighters! 

When I was first being diagnosed, my radiologist biopsied my breast and put in several clips - and biopsied ONE lymph node and inserted a biopsy clip into it to mark it. All of the biopsy sites, including the lymph node, were positive for HER2, ER/PR+ breast cancer.

Two years later, I'm through all of my treatment and reconstruction - but after a recent PET scan, saw in the report that I still have the clip in my axillary area.  So, the positive lymph node with the clip was not removed during my mastectomy surgery, although the surgeon did take out 5 other lymph nodes. 

Now I'm worried because I still have this lymph node in me that definitely had cancer.  It has gone through AC/T chemo, Herceptin and radiation, but it could still have living cancer cells in it - and the lymph nodes are a gateway to spreading to other areas.

Has anyone else had this happen?  Even though my PET scan shows No Evidence of Disease, do I need to request to get this lymph node with the clip removed? 

Appreciate any advice!

SunnyMom with young kiddos

tangandchris

Wow, I'm not even sure why they would do this! What have your doctors said so far about this?

There may be some posters who have more knowledge and give you more insight. I personally would want it out of me, I would not be able to stop worrying....but that is me.

Moderators

Hello SunnyMom, and welcome to Breastcancer.org.

We're sure that other members will be chiming in soon with their responses. In the meantime, we suggest, as always, that you bring your concerns to the attention of your medical and surgical physicians.

Please keep us posted as to what you find out. Wishing you continued NED.

The Mods

SunnyGirlsMom

I think it was a mistake, and the surgeon missed it.  They have to look around for the lymph nodes - and the surgeon had decided to be conservative with how many came out because I would be having radiation, and fewer lymph nodes out means less risk of lymphedema.  But, I would rather, at a minimum, get out everything that we know has cancer cells - and we definitely knew that lymph node was positive.

I haven't talked with the doctor yet.  I'm anticipating that they will say it is fine, since I had radiation - but I'm very concerned about it. 

 

KickCancersButt

Hi SunnyMom,

Have you heard anything back from your doctor yet? That sounds fishy and would worry me. I hope everything turns out for the best.

CTMOM1234

Regardless of what your current medical team says, I would get an outside opinion from a well-regarded and unaffiliated place. No harm in that and it will give you good inner peace. Wishing you the best