Hi, Im 44 and just had surgery for a small IDC tumour 13mm. I had an SNLB and WLE last Tuesday and it is all going well. I was a bit concerned when I took my dressings off to find that my SNLB incision was 3 1/2 inches long and I immediately started worrying was this because the sentinel node was suspicious and they took more? Silly but its worrying me and obviously Im on the wait now for my results which will be another week yet. I just wondered if this was usual or if anyone had any thoughts? thanks
Hi Dotty,
Sorry to hear you’re waiting for your results, it’s all we seem to do at times with BC!
Just wanted to say I had 27mm IDC and had WLE & SNB. I’ve just got 1 scar for both procedures which is about the same size as yours. I had 5 nodes removed in total, all clear.
Try not to worry too much at the moment, concentrate on recovering for your op if possible. (I had my dx, WLE & SNB in July but was grade 3 so had chemo & rads which I finished 3 weeks ago, starting to feel normal again!!)
Take care
Axx
Hello,
I don’t think you should worry about the length. There is usually more than one sentinel node - usually 1 to 4. I had 7! - all clear fortunately. Probably the sentinel nodes were just spread wide apart.
Waiting for results is always a worrying time. I had a small tumour like you, but it was grade 3 so chemo, rads etc.
Hope you find that your nodes were clear and the cancer low grade. Whatever the results they will tell you your treatment plan and at least you will know what you are dealing with.
Best wishes. Stella
Hi DottyJ, welcome to the BCC forums
I am sorry to read about your recent diagnosis, along with the support and shared experiences you have here BCC can offer you further support and you can read about these and other information on these BCC web pages
breastcancercare.org.uk/diagnosis:
breastcancercare.org.uk/treatment
Take care
Lucy
Thankyou everyone for your thoughts. Its nice to hear from ladies who have/are experiencing this. Thanks for putting my mind at rest.I wish you all well.
Kind Regards. Dotty
Hi, I got the results of my SNB and WLE today. They found cancer in one of the two lymph nodes they removed. So I have been booked in for a full axillary dissection on the 23rd April. The tumour was 15mm, grade 2,ER+ but HER-. I wasn’t expecting this as a result don’t know why. The surgeon mentioned chemo, rads and hormones after. That seems like a long way off now. I feel a bit stunned as I thought I had it worked out in my head. Not sure how to feel now. I know they will do their best for me but I can’t quite stop the mini panic rising…
Hi Dotty,
Sorry to hear your news. I can empathise with you feeling that you had your head around things and now everything has been shuffled around. When I first had my DX, it was WLE & SNB then rads. I went for my results then it was not enough clear margin and grade 3 - so second WLE, chemo & rads were needed.
Chemo although not nice is doable and I’m sure you’ll get a lot of support from the ladies on here.
I hope all goes well for your clearance, I’ll be thinking of you
Axx
Hi Dotty
I’ve gate crashed from another thread as I saw your post and know what it feels like. Your result is more or less a mirror image of me - I had a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy and was told it would be followed by radiotherapy - then I got the results that there was cancer in one of the lymph nodes and the margins around th lumpectomy were not clear so had to have another op to remove more nodes and more breast tissue.
I have now just had my second session of Fec chemo - am having 3 Fec and 3 doxatere which is the t element of Fec -t if you have the same.
I broke down completely - I had prepared myself for surgery and rads but not chemo - complete shock - I can say tho if you read as much as you can and talk to the lovely ladies on this forum you can find anything out! I have bought medicines for every eventually and I am happy to say that most of them have stayed in the cupboard. I still have a little hair left but have shed tears over this too.
It’s not easy but you can do it ! They have caught it early and the chemo and rads will just be a precaution - believe me I thought about not having it because of the side effects - but throw everything at it including a positive attitude when you can - I stil go to the gym cos I like the staff there always commenting on how I keep smiling thru it - I’m breaking on the inside but it helps me to get that encouragement.
Sorry to waffle - I had my second session today and I’m fine 
Take care xxxx
Thankyou ladies. I just want to get this surgery over with and then I can deal with the next step. The waiting in between every set of tests/surgeries adds to it all as well for me. I now feel unsure of what the next results will be where before I was feeling fairly confident.
Good luck with the chemo Ceej thanks for your positivity. I’ll post again when my next surgery is over.
Kind Regards
Dotty
Hi I am new to this so bear with me…I am off to hosp tomorrow to get my result after a surgical biopsy, so needless to say I am brcking it!! Will let you all know how I get on…thanks all x