NYTimes Article re: Nodes

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msippiqueen
msippiqueen Member Posts: 191
edited June 2014 in Lymphedema

Hey Ladies,



The #1 Most Popular Article in the NY Times is titled: Lymph Node Study Shakes Pillar of Breast Cancer Care



I came to your forum looking for your thoughts, some of the very best posters on bco are right here, on the lymphedema forum.



I would be real interested in what you think. I'll attempt to post a link.



http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/09/health/research/09breast.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=general

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  • msippiqueen
    msippiqueen Member Posts: 191
    edited February 2011

    Oh gosh! I just found the topic already addressed, sorry for the duplication.



    Thanks!

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited February 2011

    Msippiqueen, don't know if you found both the threads dealing with this, but there are two active ones here on the lymphedema board:

    Don't look back -- seriously!

    and

    Lymph Node Study Shakes Pillar of Breast Cancer Care

    This is a bittersweet subject here, with both regret for decisions that may have led to our lymphedema, and joy in knowing that with a new protocol some women won't ever have to deal with this. So -- lots of wonderful discussion on the topic. Thanks for bringing it up!

    Be well!
    Binney

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  • msippiqueen
    msippiqueen Member Posts: 191
    edited February 2011

    Thanks, Binney for your kind words, I was feeling a little sheepish about having posted at all.

    My 1st bco interaction was on the lymph forum thanks to googling info on recon.
    I was wowed by the comprehensive and solid info and the push back against erroneous advice.

    It's a new day in health care info and we're all the better for it.



    I found other forums on bco with really solid posters and have been proud to recommend bco to others. This long retired nurse (except a little camp nursing) may have been unfamiliar with what the latest is but I can sure recognize qualify when I see it.



    Finally, a friend of mine has a unimast and recon yesterday. She's far and away smarter than I am and capable of pulling together info. Still, I was happy to suggest this site as worthy of her time. She was well armed going into counseling about her surgery, specifically about lymphedema and you ladies surely helped.



    Thank you.



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  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited February 2011

    Do note that this study is only for 20%-30% of women with tumors under 2".

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited February 2011

    Msippinqueen, I'm so glad you've found the lymphedema boards so helpful -- I do too! Amazingly smart and determined women keep showing up here, and the constant flow of information is downright bracing. Cool

    As for this study, what nobody's saying is that the combination of Sentinel Node Biopsy with lumpectomy and rads -- the combination studied in this case -- actually increases the risk of truncal (breast/chest/back) lymphedema. So it's not as clear-cut an issue as it seems. A bit of a trade-off, actually -- less risk of arm lymphedema, higher risk of breast lymphedema. Now, if we can just get them to notice and study breast lymphedema...!Tongue out

    And the other thing that worries me about this study is that surgeons will now be citing it as "proof" that their patients who have SNB and lumpectomy/rads don't need to worry about lymphedema risk reduction practices. Aaaargh!Undecided Your friend is fortunately way out ahead, since she's going into this armed with the information she needs to protect herself as much as possible. And she's sure lucky to have you walking this path ahead of her.Smile We sure do need each other!

    Hugs,
    Binney

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  • mollyann
    mollyann Member Posts: 472
    edited February 2011

    This latest study is just the latest of many earlier studies since 1960 showing that removing lymph nodes has no therapeutic value even if the nodes contain cancer. The current researchers continue to find no overall survival value in removing nodes..

    That was the "endpoint" of the study. Sampling lymph nodes was used as a staging device in previous years. Now we use tumor biology information for staging, making the lymph node sampling unnecessary.

    Accoding to the guideline writers, the surgical oncologists are rewriting the surgical guidelines to reflect the evidence.

    It's important to alert our newly diagnosed friends of this information so their surgeons do the most updated procedures. Sloan Kettering has been onboard with the latest procedures for six months because they knew the information.

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  • msippiqueen
    msippiqueen Member Posts: 191
    edited February 2011

    Really, really good information. There is so much I don't know but I'll be checking out this forum and and the step up speak out site.



    My plan (I'm invigorated!) is to be better prepared to talk about this on my three week summer job. Wearing a T-Shirt with no boobs will not be noticed by most people but those who are concerned with breast health may notice and broach the subject with me.



    The year round staff has a heightened awareness as someone else had a bilateral recently.

    Many, many people rotate through these camps from across the US. The point being, the outreach potential is great. I can't wait.



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