Lymph node dissection question

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slanderson
slanderson Member Posts: 152
edited June 2014 in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Lymph node dissection question
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  • slanderson
    slanderson Member Posts: 152
    edited March 2008

    Ladies, I have a question....

    Whenever I read anything on these boards, nodes positive or negative is almost always known because they do the SNB and or dissection.  My questions is regarding Triple Neg's like me.  If knowing won't change your treatment, (triple neg's will almost 100% get chemo) why do it at all?  I mean because the dissection itself causes us problems.  Lymphadema among other things.  I have just never asked a doctor that.

    THanks, SHannon

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  • jeanne46
    jeanne46 Member Posts: 1,941
    edited March 2008

    SNB results are used as an indicator of disease involvement and help measure how you are initially "staged." Having one node removed shouldn't have much bearing on lymphadema - usually women who suffer from that have had a large number of nodes dissected, not just one. Do ask your oncologist, though. He/she should be able to explain this in greater detail.



    Best of luck to you, Shannon. Keep us posted.

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  • FloridaLady
    FloridaLady Member Posts: 2,155
    edited March 2008

    The problem is..they will not take just one.  Cancer can skip nodes and they need to check farther down the line.  Did yea know?  My surgeon and her boss were one of the founding doctors to use lymph node mapping?

    SLAnderson,

    I see where you did not have a mast.  They can eject the dye into the breast and do a CT scan to see a pretty good picture before they start cutting.   The key is... if they do the dye "most" want to cut.

    Sorry no easy answers for you.  The only big change in your tx will be, if you do have node positive they will scan and watch you very close this first year.  I know some are even getting additional chemo's up front.  Say ACT than carbo back to back.  Nodes involvement they feel is the key to more aggressive bc and definitely TN.  I know I've had 53 nodes positive...

    Living in hope,

    Flalady

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  • Negative3Grade3
    Negative3Grade3 Member Posts: 111
    edited March 2008

    Hi, Shannon.

    This is an excellent question, esp. when you read that for TN, lymph nodes or size of tumor doesn't matter.  One of the radiologists that I consulted said that they prefer doing at least a FN biopsy (if you are going to do pre-operative chemo) so that they can determine if lymph nodes are involved for the radiation treatment that may or may not involve the lymph nodes.  

    --Christina 

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  • slanderson
    slanderson Member Posts: 152
    edited March 2008

    Thanks, Ladies!!

    I should have prefaced my situation....I am almost 3 years out now, but at time of diagnosis, they tried the SNB, but it didn't work.  The dye didn't flow right or something.  So they only did the lumpectomy.  When I asked why, they said because of the location of my lump, it probably went to the lymph nodes in my chest not in my arm and it would be a major crack the chest ordeal to get to those lymph nodes and of course they wouldn't do that.  So they just do nothing since my treatment would be the same anyway.  Biggest chemo we have.  At the time I was very upset since it seemed that everyone else knew their node status.  Since then I have always wondered although I am almost 3 years out and everything good.  I just hear a lot about lyphadema from my 3 friends on my street who had node dissection and have always wondered why do it if your treatment is not going to change. 

    I guess I am one of those people(not like most) who is happy not to know everything.  My husband thinks that is ludicruous, but I guess I am an ignorance is bliss person.  I try to meditate on "maybe my nodes were negative"  since I don't know.

    Thanks again, Shannon

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