Radiation on internal mammary lymph nodes

AllYouNeedIsLove

Hey all! I was diagnosed with IDC triple positive (er+, pr+, HER2+) Chemo worked well, and just had mastectomy 2 weeks ago (with a follow up surgery in about a year to complete surgery) There were no axillary lymph nodes involved.. from the very beginning all my doctors said this was early stage BC. On my initial MRI it showed 2 internal mammary lymph nodes were enlarged. The Dr's basically said they are not sure if they were cancerous or just reactive from what was going on. After chemo the same 2 lymph nodes were still enlarged. Since they don't know, they have to assume they are positive with cancer and for that reason I will be doing 6 1/2 weeks of radiation. Does anyone else have the same thing going on? I guess what makes me nervous is that these lymph nodes can not be removed, and there is no way to know or not. Any info on this would be greatly appreciated!!

ratbait

I do not have the same situation as you, but did have my intramammory nodes radiated in 2008. I don't think it impacted how I felt or responded to radiation much if at all.

As far as what to do, my recommendation would be to get a second opinion from a radiation oncologist at a major comprehensive cancer center. http://www.cancer.gov/researchandfunding/extramura...

AllYouNeedIsLove

Thank you, ratbait!! I will look into this. My hospital is a part of one of the listings on that site, but it would be wise to get a second opinion. Thanks again!

jacee

Many get internal mammary nodes (which are in the intercostal area between the ribs),confused with intramammary nodes ( which are in the breast tissue).

I had a positive internal mammary node that lit up during my sentinel node biopsy. It was the top node and my surgeon was able to remove it. The first one she had ever removed. But you are right, most of the time they aren't able to reach them. I had 37 rounds of radiation after chemo with a week of that targeted solely on the IMN chain. I have had several breast MRIs since, and I always ask to speak to the Radiologist and both times he has taken me back and we have looked at the IMN area together, and he assures me it is fine. During my DIEP reconstruction, my micro surgeon was going to be working with the blood vessels in that area and I asked her to please look for anything suspicious. She felt it looked fine.

I know it is unnerving to not know! After chemo, then radiation I felt I had done everything possible to attack that area. Radiation has been the easiest of all treatments for me. Hugs, Joni

AllYouNeedIsLove

Hi Joni, That is great that your surgeon was able to remove yours! I hounded my surgeon so many times about this. I do not like the fact that all my doctors basically do not know if the lymph node is just reacting to what was going on in the breast or if it is positive with cancer. The good thing is, the chemo got rid of 100% of the aggressive cancer (in my little tumor) and 76% of the slow growing stuff. I had a great response to chemo so I feel good between that, surgery, and am now getting radiation. The hardest part of this is not having control. You just have to have faith that this will all work and continue living your life!

jacee

You are so right! We are being asked to make decisions at a time when we have little to no knowledge. I realized I was just going to have to trust God, and press on, Great news of your chemo response!