Node removal

cmlorino1

• LymphademaMy sister has been diagnosed with breast cancer. I was wondering if 1 lymph node is removed from each breast during bilateral mastectomy, is lymphadema a concern. If so, would she be required to wear a compression sleeve when flying, on both arms? Would she be limited in needle sticks, blood pressure, etc. in both arms? She is trying to decide if she should not take a node from the breast with no cancer. Her cancer is DCIS, Stage "O" on the left, however, they will not be certain of that until surgery due to additional deeper calcifications that were not biopsied. Thanks.

Moderators

Hi cmlorino1, and thanks for posting!

Our Lymphedema forum is chock full of very helpful members, so we're sure someone will be by shortly to weigh in. In the meantime, you may be interested in checking out the main Breastcancer.org site's page on Lymphedema Risk Factors, which explains risk level associated with the number of nodes removed, as well as offers some advice about airplane travel. Also, the page on Reducing Risk of Lymphedema and Lymphedema Flare-Ups offers some good information on things to avoid and things to do to reduce the occurrence of lymphedema.

We hope this helps and wish your sister all the best! We hope she will join in the community here as well, to get support and answers from those who have been there.

The Mods

Legomaster225

I can give you my experience if that helps. I did BMX with known cancer in my right breast. Upon testing of the removed tissue a small tumor was found on my "clean" breast as well. We did not take nodes fr that side as there was no reason to think we needed to. Mammo, ultrasound, and two different MRI's did not see it. In hindsight i wsh we would have done sentinel node testing on that side as well. It has caused confusion over radiation treatment. Doctors think the risks of Auxillary node dissection at this time outweigh the benefits due to the size, path report, ER, BMX, chemo and tamoxifen. For now we are monitoring and will re-evaluate and do ALND on that side if necessary. They say the risk of node involvement is very low and there are no clinical signs to push for testing. We just don't know100%. But unless you take them all the nodes I guess you never know 100%. I guess in hindsight I would Have wished for sentinal node testing in both breastsbut I could second guess myself all day.

Kicks

It is possible for LE to develope after any surgery (or traumatic injury) father or not any nodes are removed. The potential for LE developing is higher the more nodes removed but is present even if none are removed. There are (or were) ones here who developed LE with no nodes removed and ones who had many nodes removed but did not develope LE. There is no way to know for sure if LE will or won't develope.

It can never be proven one way or the other but I believe that something that happened 31 years before contributed to my LE developing. With my 2nd Son, a very poorly placed IV had infiltrated and caused severe phlebitis in my elbow area which is where my LE is the worst. So to me it seems that there is a chance that though I had had no issues since then that lymphatic system in that area had been compromised before my 19 pos. nodes were removed. Just a thought but makes sense to me.