Node mets, negative mammo

Anonymous · March 2010

Anonymous · March 2010

Hi all. Short story: dx 2006 IDLC. It started w/negative mammo, but enlarged axil. node under left arm. Surgeon wanted bx of breast after MRI showed some foci of enhancement. Positive for cancer, but sentinel and 3 other nodes negative. All good.. Last Sept he bx'd in right breast, turned out mastitis.. Antibiotics.. all clear. Friday, had mammo/us.. the radiologist said "your mammo/us looks good, but our PACS machine is out of order, so nothing to compare it to. She said she'd send surgeon prelim. report and give me a final when she compares last yrs films..Surgeon-- (he's upstairs), and I went up for my appt. He's doing clinical exam, and says "did you know you had a large node in right axilla?" Uh.. no. So he's ordered MRI for 2 mo. he didnt seem all that concerned,, but he's always wanted bilat masts, because of first time around. I went w/lump/rads... Now I know nodes swell for diff. reasons. Apparently so, as the last time, it wasnt even mets to node.. BUT I've read that you can have neg. mammo/us and positive nodes. Occult bc.. I just want to know how really common it is, and if anyone here has had this happen. Thanks for your great support.. Hugs and prayers..

hrf · March 2010

I had negative mammo & u/s and positive nodes. It was ILC which often presents that way. It was my second dx.

Anonymous · March 2010

hfr,

thanks for responding. How did your surgeon procede? Did he/she find the node, or you found it? I was told to have MRI next, I guess to see if node appeared and also to see if anything enhances in the breast. My first dx was IDLC (ductal and lobular), and I tend to always be the less than 1% of patients that gets every weird ticket diagnosis! I am negative for BRCA, but all of my cousins except one has gotten breast or ovarian CA, and the doc said that its just another gene. I guess I'll call Monday (he's out of the country) to get scheduled for MRI. I wonder, did your surgeon want to remove node right away? Mine said to have MRI first. Last ca. I had presented as enlarged node and negative mammo/us. but the nodes at SNB during lumpectomy were all clean.

Thank you for your input. ILC makes sense.. Hoping for nothing. Hugs

hrf · March 2010

I also hope it's nothing. I was having regular checkup with surgeon and she felt node under my arm. Mammo and u/s were negative. MRI showed enhancement. Biopsy of lymph node was positive. ILC tumour in breast turned out to be 2.2 cm and there were 4 nodes involved. My first dx was IDC ..... so totally different and in other breast......I ended up with bmx.

Anonymous · March 2010

hrf,

Im glad to report that after todays ultrasound, my node is inflammed, but not suspicious. My mammo is stable.. they want me to have an MRI in 2 mo for follow up. Thank you for your support.

hrf · March 2010

good news!!!!! now you can relax

dimdame · May 2010

I have had all the test, Enhanced Mammogram, CT Scan, MRI of the breasts, etc, etc...breast clear and yet I have the Sentinel Node showing Cancer that is Estrogen positive. There are no other Nodes involved. The Node was seen two years ago, and it has not grown. The Oncologist wants to remove both the breast and the lymph Node. In all that I read about Occult Cancer, the breast is frequently removed and no Cancer is found. I am going to get a second opinion but I would like to hear from anyone who has the same problem. Thanks

Anonymous · May 2010

Hi dimdame

Im glad your getting 2nd op, as you should always do. I guess since you already know you have pos. node, you should go ahead and do the mast, tho I dont know if bilat is the recommendation posed by all surgeons. You can check with a big hospital (Hopkins, MDA, Sloan, etc) for 2nd op. I always get 2nd op, sometimes 3. It will give you a better perspective. Praying for a good outcome. At least ER+ can be hormone treated..

Blessings

dimdame · June 2010

Dear Peachy49

I am waiting the results from my case at the local teaching hospital. However, I have heard from a breast surgeon who wants to remove the breast and all the lymph nodes. According to my PET scan, the breast isn't involved and only one of the lymph nodes. Somehow, it seems like over kill to me as I was told my immune system may have fought off the cancer in the breast and the residual still remains in the lymph node. I'd love to get that lymph node out, but I am not sure that I want anything else out. What happens if you do a wait and see? I am in my 70's so nothing is growing fast anymore, Most things are falling South instead!!

dimdame · July 2010

Dear Peachy49

My case results came back with a suggestion of breast radiation and lymph node removal, Stage 1 and Stage 11. I am wondering what would happen if I limit the amount of nodes to be taken out. Anybody else just have Stage 1 and not Stage 11? I know recent information is out there about women who have no node involvement do not have to have lymph nodes removed. Everything I read about Lymphedema make the whole extraction sound horrid-and would certainly cut into my golf game...

Anonymous · July 2010

Hi Dimdame,

Im not sure how many nodes need to be removed. You having had the sentinel node bx'd and found to be positive, Im not sure how many nodes the surgeon would want, probably all of them. Im not sure they would go for just one.. or would they? You could surely bring that up at consult. Im going in Sept for an MRI.. they are watching this node which is still palpable, and hasn't grown. Last time this happened to left breast, it was node first, I had cancer in the breast at pathology. I would want any cancer out at most any age, depending on your overall health. I have other health complications, and now have to have my gallbladder removed due to suspicion for cancer there. Not looking fwd to it either..I can understand the lymphedema issue, and I feel for your golf game, I do I do.. I'll be praying for you to be able to decide..

Things going south? LOL.. I beat ya by a longshot! hugs

Node mets, negative mammo

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