New-Just Had Lumpectomy-Lymph Node Question

Hi All,

I just had a lumpectomy on Wedneday. the Dr also removed two sentinal lymph nodes, and because one came back from pathology (during surgery) showing cancerous cells, she took all my lymph nodes out from under my arm. This is what hurts the most and I got to come home from the hospital with that oh so fun drain too!

My question is - because one sentinal node was cancerous - will the others be cancerous too? If some are - does that mean cancer spread somewhere else? They did MRI's, PET Scans, bone scan etc and told me it looked like nothing had spread - now this and I am freaking out. Or, if the nodes are positive, what does that mean treatment - wise? Will i ever be cancer free?

Thanks!

usually, after lumpectomy, radiation to the breast and armpit are done. this will kill rogue cancer cells in the local area.

usually, (and especially when lymph nodes are positive), chemotherapy is also done to kill any possible rogue cancer cells that escaped to your body.

radiation and chemotherapy may or may not kill 100% of the cancer cells.

usually when lymph nodes are negative and the tumor is less than 4 cm in size, just a lumpectomy is needed. usually when lymph node(s) are positive, a modified radical mastectomy is preferred. this is because if the cancer cells were able to get from the tumor to the lymph nodes, they had to go through the breast lymphatics to get there, and some "in-transit" cancer cells may still be in the breast.

radiation and chemo may kill them, but surgical removal is more of a sure bet which is why modified radical mastectomy is usually preferred. it might be worth talking to the surgeon and asking him. there might be factors i am not aware of.

in any case, your wounds need to fully heal before chemo and radiation begin. open wounds that are given radiation or chemotherapy won't close, the wound stays open and gets infected.

statistics for survival of breast cancer are good and getting better every day with newer and better treatments. for a small, low grade cancer that has only spread to a few nodes, 10 year survival on the order of 75% or better.

here are some statistics:
http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/help/default.asp?page=3317#larg

other opinions and suggestions welcome!

just a question. You posted under the lymphoma site, but a "lumpectomy" does imply breast cancer.

you said they looked at 2 lymph nodes, one was positive and they did axillary dissection. That means they took ALL your lymph nodes then, there could be 18-25 more and they will examine them, you probably have been notified by now if more have cancer which they could/or could not. I had the same deal and I elected to go back later (3 weeks) and have a mastectomy on right and now want to go back and have elective on left. To me with even one positive lymph node is time to do mastectomy of ALL breast tissue on both sides and put all narcissism aside. They told me they could take care of that one positive node with chemo and rad, but I wanted axill dissect and mas - it was time. When they did the elective mast 3 weeks later they found another cancer at another place in that breast they were not aware of and MRI nor CT scan had not revealed and I had just had the MRI and CT 1 1/2 weeks prior to the surgery. Things get real serious when you get one lymph node and drs do not have psychic eyes, one must have common sense for themselves and also think for themselves. One node is one big message, listen to it- time to buck up.

You need to ask your doctors all these questions.  You have a right to know.  Don't be shy, you have to be your own advocate.  I keep detailed records of my current health, medications, etc. and carry it with me.  I can't have oxygen because I had lung damage from chemo.  I am on blood thinners because I've had to DVTs.  I ask a lot of questions and I study up on whatever I am dealing with.  It's your life and you have to protect yourself.

Kitty