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Lumpectomy with Sentinel Node Biopsy Questions about Lumpectomy with Sentinel Node Biopsy. |
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| 1/9/2006 | I wasn't sure where to post this? I had a mastectomy of the right breast verse's a lumpectomy. Anyway...I just had the mastectomy last week and a sentinel biopsy. Three nodes were removed at that time. I have been reading and I am concerned. It says that the sentinel node biopsy is NOT the standard of care for someone with a Stage II or better invasive cancer? Is this true. They say the othe method is standard of care...removing all of the nodes. My tumor was close to 4.5 cm and he was pretty sure there WAS lymph node involvement as was I. My core biopsy was limited but did show cancer and concern for lymph involvement also. So since they knew my mass was at least 4.5 cm and lymph involvement...should I of had the full axillary lymph node dissection removal...verse's the sentinel node in my case? Here is what I read on one page: Doing a full axillary lymph node dissection if the sentinel lymph node is positive is still considered “the standard of care” with which all patients should be treated. To do otherwise, risks under treating your breast cancer. Does that mean in my case I now have cancer spreading faster then I would of had they did it the other way? They KNEW my nodes were involved before the surgery. Why would they risk doing a sentinel node on me...with a mass that big? Plus I am worried because I see swelling by my clavical since the surgey. I am so stressed. Thank you. | ||
| Replied | JHU's Breast Center Reply | ||
| 1/9/2006 | sentinel node biopsy is still done for stage 2 breast cancers. if the node is positive then axillary node dissection is done. the key is to ensure that the doctor doing the sentinel node biopsy is expert in doing it. | ||
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