sentinal lymph node removal

Options
speace
speace Member Posts: 116
edited April 2015 in Lymphedema

Hi everyone, I just had a sentinal lymph node removal biopsy done 1 week ago today. I have 2 questions. I go back to my doc on the 14th. Got the call 3 days after surgery that cancer did not spread to any lymph nodes. THANK GOD. My first question is, had anyone experienced numbness and tingling in the area surrounding the removal and is it normal to have this? Second question, I as reading up on sentinal lymph node removal and alot of sites said that you can receive false negative results , I'm so nervous that this is the case and that I probably do have the cancer sells spreading all through the lymph nodes! Just wondering if anyone ever had this and felt that way? The rational side of me thinks that's not the case with me, and that my doctor is very capable and I do trust her and know she most likely wouldn't take any chances and made sure she was thorough with the biopsy. But the irrational side of me takes over and I don't believe that I could actually have dodged a bullet and found this cancer so early that it didnt have time to spread!!! Ugh please, any advise would be great.

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited April 2015

    Yes, it is normal to have tingling and numbness in the area of the incision, the underarm, back of the arm, etc.  This usually dissipates slowly over time and is totally normal, but don't be alarmed if it takes a while.  My understanding of the accuracy of SNB is about 95%, so a false negative of 5% - decent odds in cancerland.  Try to relax, I know it is hard.  Do you have the final pathology back from the SNB or is this the prelim?  Was your SNB done with breast surgery or by itself?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • speace
    speace Member Posts: 116
    edited April 2015

    THANKYOU Specialk for such a quick response!! I had a lumpectomy on the 20th of march and that came back , the tumor removal showed 85% cancer and 15% had started to become invasive. Surgeon removed all of it and then did the sentinal 10 days later. I had called the docs office 3 days after lymph removal surgery and the nurse said the results from pathology showed the lymph nodes were all clear and showing no signs of cancer. I go back to her on the 14th to have sutures removed and find out about starting radiation.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited April 2015

    No problem!  So glad your SNB was negative and that you will be moving on to rads.  Be gentle with your arm, don't overdo it and if you feel you need for some physical therapy, which many do and find very helpful, ask your surgeon for a referral to a lymphedema certified physical therapist for it.  They will teach you gentle stretching and safe exercises to regain range of motion without risk to the arm with the SNB.  Remember that you need to take precautions from here on out to reduce your risk for lymphedema.  Avoid needles, IVs and blood pressure monitoring on that side - for life.  Here is some info on doing that:

    http://www.stepup-speakout.org/riskreduction_for_lymphedema.htm

    There is a wealth of info on that link, so click around and read up when you can.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 3,567
    edited April 2015

    I second SpecialK's cautionary note about being gentle with the arm.  There's good evidence to suggest that you can materially reduce your LE risk by waiting 2 weeks after surgery, before doing the PT that's often needed to regain and retain your range of motion. The study in question also found that waiting those two weeks does not impair function.  The study's guideline for two weeks post surgery is to avoid lifting the arm above shoulder level. Avoiding heavy lifting just plain makes sense, too.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • speace
    speace Member Posts: 116
    edited April 2015

    Thankyou Carol, all info is much appreciated and makes lots of sense!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Hopeful82014
    Hopeful82014 Member Posts: 3,480
    edited April 2015

    Carol, thanks for that input.

    Do you by chance have a link to that study? And it does apply even to minimal nodal surgery? (I'm hoping it will be around 3 nodes removed.)

    This is an area that is changing SO fast it's hard to keep up with it!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 3,567
    edited April 2015

    Hopeful, thank you for nudging me to return to the study, as I see that it tested a 7-day wait for shoulder exercises, not a two-week wait.   Here's the article:

    A randomized controlled trial of two programmes of shoulder exercise following axillary node dissection for invasive breast cancer, Jacquelyn Todd, Andy Scally et al, Physiotherapy 94 (2008) 265-273.


    Here's the abstract: http://www.physiotherapyjournal.com/article/S0031-9406(08)00113-2/abstract

    I have the full article and can send it to you by email, if you PM me.

    Carol

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 3,567
    edited April 2015

    Hopeful, I just scanned the article, and it doesn't describe the number of nodes removed in the study population.  For my money, though, I'd say that it cannot hurt to be conservative in arm lifting, even if you lose just one node.  I lost only a few, and I didn't lift my arms for 14 days on PS orders (diep flap survival at stake), so without realizing it, I was following this study's recommendations.  And I got LE anyway, but I figure that there are no guarantees, and who knows--maybe I'd have a much worse case had I done the PT right away.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Hopeful82014
    Hopeful82014 Member Posts: 3,480
    edited April 2015

    Thank you so much, Carol. I'll PM you shortly. This is very timely and I really appreciate it.

    I am SO sorry to hear that you got LE despite everything. How are you doing with it at this point?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • carol57
    carol57 Member Posts: 3,567
    edited April 2015

    Hopeful,

    My LE is quite mild, and I'm humbled by all the women here who have a much tougher case, and who handle it with grace and humor. And snarls...which is natural.

    I have an achy arm quite often, and once in a while I see some swelling, usually just under the axilla, and then I feel like I have a squishy egg in my armpit. I I get a slight burning sensation, especially under my lat muscle, and that spot swells sometimes. What a strange condition LE is! Patchy, in my case. But again, I'm very lucky compared to so many others.

    What seems to work for me is to wear a night garment while sleeping. It seems to fix me up pretty well, so I usually start the day with no ache. I wear a compression sleeve and gauntlet when I'm aching and when I'm active. It always makes the arm feel better, but sometimes I just put up with the ache, because I find the sleeve is annoying, especially the gauntlet. I think I have lots of company in that attitude!

    The LE odds really are in your favor, with just a few nodes removed. I'll focus my positive thoughts on a no-LE-drama outcome for you.

    Carol

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Hopeful82014
    Hopeful82014 Member Posts: 3,480
    edited April 2015

    "Patchy" sounds like a good description of your situation, Carol. And yes, I'll be that sleeve and gauntlet are annoying. Thank you for your positive thoughts; LE was one of my first concerns (after survival) when I was first DX. I hope it was all for nothing! ;)

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories