Sentinel Lymph Node and Axillary Lymph Node Biopsy

When the sentinel node/nodes are removed during surgery they are immediately evaluated, under a microscope not by imaging, for cancer cells. If they are positive for cancer cells, many surgeons will do an axillary node dissection while you are already in surgery. Some will wait and do it afterwards, which then becomes a separate procedure. More surgery is not better in terms of increasing lymphedema risk, but if cancer is found in the sentinel node there is a possibility it has gone to other nodes. I am not familiar with Dr. Love’s book but radiation by itself or even surgery by itself can cause lymphedema. I had rads to a bone met on my femur and have mild lymphedema in my leg. Ultrasound imaging can only detect cancer in the nodes if it has grown large enough to be detectable. None of my pre-surgery imaging indicated any cancer in my nodes yet when examined after surgical removal, there it was!
i think, because I read your other thread, that you need to understand that there can be breast cancer cells in your body that are too small to be detected by any means we currently have available. That is why radiation and/or other treatments may be recommended for early stage bc. It helps clean up what can not yet be detected. Most estimates are that breast cancers may have been growing for 5-10 years before they are detectable by any type of screening or assessment. So although this may not be comforting, it is simply not possible to find and eradicate bc cells until they have grown to a certain point. Take care.

Aklynna - Wonderful news about the negative lymph nodes. Very happy for you! I have my post op appointment next week and am anxious about the results. Has your doctor mentioned anything about oncotype testing or do you already know what treatment will be next?

Jewelweed - Best wishes for your upcoming surgery!

I am so happy for you! I had surgery on Thursday and am impatiently waiting for the pathology report.

I was also so nervous about my pathology report after lumpectomy with SLNB that I had to have my partner drive me to the appointment with my BC surgeon. My blood pressure was through the roof! I totally understand your relief. With you I was so relieved to get a negative on lymph nodes! I also want to point out that my excisional biopsy noted lymphovascular invasion, which is what really caused my fright at the path report. So that presence doesn't mean you necessarily have positive nodes.