Breast Cancer Lymph Node Removal
Patients with advanced cases of breast cancer may have cancer cells present in the lymph nodes. It is very important to determine whether cancer has spread to the lymph nodes, as the nodes act as a filtering system for the body. If cancer cells are in the lymph nodes, then there is an increased risk of the breast cancer spreading to other areas of the body. A partial or full removal of the lymph nodes associated with the breast is sometimes necessary.
Location of Nodes
There are several different lymph nodes associated with breast cancer. Doctors will want to examine the supraclavicular, infraclavicular and cervical nodes for any enlargement. These three nodes are located around the neck and collarbone. The axillary lymph nodes, which are located under the arms, are also associated with breast cancer. It is the axillary lymph nodes that may need to be removed if cancer has started to spread to the nodes.
Sentinel Node Biopsy
If a doctor suspects that breast cancer has entered the lymph nodes, a sentinel node biopsy might first be performed. This procedure is less invasive than the full removal of lymph nodes. Using a special dye, doctors can locate the node that is likely to be first affected by breast cancer. By removing only that node for examination, it can be determined if further surgery is necessary. When no cancer is present, then no other lymph nodes will need to be removed. Patients who discover breast cancer in its early stages are less likely to have cancer cells present in the sentinel node.
Advantages of Sentinel Node Biopsy
Sentinel node biopsy is far less invasive than the removal of multiple axillary lymph nodes. It is an outpatient procedure with fewer side effects than traditional surgery. Swelling of the arms, known as lymphedema, is less likely to occur. It is also easier for a patient to return to normal activity when a sentinel node biopsy is performed.
Axillary Node Dissection
Axillary node dissection is the removal of all or most of the lymph nodes under the arms. These nodes are the ones most directly linked with advanced breast cancer. Women have an average of 10 to 30 lymph nodes under the arms. The nodes are buried under a pad of fat that must also be removed. After lymph nodes are surgically removed, a drain tube will be inserted to remove any fluid that forms after the surgery. Axillary node dissection is very invasive and painful, often resulting in undesired side effects like stiffening and swelling of the arms.
Candidates for Axillary Node Dissection
Axillary node dissection is not the preferred method of controlling the spread of breast cancer in the lymph nodes. The sentinel node biopsy is the ideal way to screen for cancer cells, but some patients require an axillary node dissection. Patients who are more likely to require axillary node dissection include pregnant women, women who have undergone previous axillary or breast surgery, women in advanced stages of cancer and women who have undergone radiation to the breast.
Tags: lymph nodes, breast cancer, node dissection, cancer cells, associated with, associated with breast, axillary lymph
