Following a surgical procedure such as a mastectomy or a lumpectomy, you may find that the doctor wishes to take the chance to examine your lymph nodes. In doing this the doctor will want to check to see whether or not the cancer is spreading or has spread any further than just the area which was originally identified. Now if you get a lumpectomy with a lymph node biopsy then you will no doubt be worried about the result of the biopsy itself, and this is of course perfect normal. To try and allay your fears somewhat, here is what you will need to know about what is going on.
What Does The Lymph System Have To Do With Cancer?
Breast cancer is not easy to control but there are ways in which we can predict what the cancer is going to do. The reason behind this is that cancer cells always follow a very similar path from patient to patient, which is that they grow out from the tumor and then into the lymph nodes which surround it, before launching into the rest of the body. The key node which the doctor will be paying attention to here is the sentinel node, this is the first set of nodes which are attached to the tumor and this is likely what the doctor wants to take a sample of, to see whether or not cancer cells are prevalent.
Another node which the doctor may wish to look at is the axillary node, which they will dissect to see if the cancer has spread beyond the sentinel node.
Will The Lymph Nodes Always Be Taken?
Whilst this is often the case, that during a mastectomy or a lumpectomy the doctor will take out the lymph nodes or dissect the axillary node, it is not always the case, especially if there are no signs of cancer spread. The surgeon will make the call before the surgery as to whether or not they will be doing this so you will be fully aware of what is happening before you go under the knife.
What Happens If It Has Spread?
The standard of care was changed back in 2012 which meant that women with early stage breast cancers could have radiation to the underarm. Previously the choice was to have full dissection and removal of lymph nodes, this is no longer the case. If the cancer has been found to spread in women who have had a mastectomy then the standard of care is still that they will have the dissection and the removal of axillary nodes.
It is important that you do not panic ahead of this surgery, it may well be that the cancer has spread and whilst that will be terrible news, knowing is half the battle here and at least you can take swift action to try and combat what is happening, with this being said, there are very good chances that it has not.