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Types and Stages of Breast Cancer Questions about the different types and stages of breast cancer. |
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| 1/15/2012 | I had two opinions on my pathology report. Both stated no evidence of lymphovascular invasion- yet I had isolated tumor cells and a micrometastaces in two nodes. How did it get there ? | ||
| Replied | JHU's Breast Center Reply | ||
| 1/16/2012 | it is not possble for pathologists to review every single cell of a tumor. they take a representative sampling with the hope that it represents the majority of the characteristics of the tumor. There are some lymphatics and perforator vessels that are so incredibly tiny they could potentially be missed. Additionally, there are times in which lymph nodes are negativ and it is discovered later that breast cancer has infact spread to other organ sites. In such cases it is unclear if the lymphatic system functioned solely as a conduit to carry the cancer cells elsewhere rather than hold them captive in the lymph node as hoped. Certainly better to see isolated tumor cells that to see a node so full that it has cancer cells also on the outside the node. next step is to see the medical oncologist to discuss this further. | ||
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