Help - going back for further surgery to remove lymph glands

just recovering from lumpectomy but heard yesterday that there is evidence of cancer in the lymph glands and I have to go back for surgery to remove them. Feeling scared and worried. What does it mean long term? The cancer is hormone receptive butI may have to have chemo. Anybody else had a similar experience?

Hello chipmunk

Welcome to the forums, you’ve come to the right place for support as the users of this site have a wealth of experience and knowledge between them.

In the meantime you may find it useful to contact our free helpline on 0808 800 6000, opening hours are Monday to Friday 9.00 – 5.00 and Saturday 9.00 – 2.00.

best wishes
June, moderator

Hi chipmunk,sorry you’v had to join us and that you are facing more surgery.There are loads on here who have had to go back for lymph node clearence and I’m sure they will be along to support you.I had my lymph nodes removed at the same time as my breast surgery as one was found to have cancer in at diagnosis.I had 16 removed and 1 was positive.And had chemo,rads and take tamoxifen as hormone+.I had a drain in for 5 days but was allowed home after 2 days.A physio came to the ward and showed us how to do exercises and gave us exercises to do at home,it’s important to do them.You will be given information about lifting and looking after your arm.My arm felt very strange and it felt like I had a tennis ball stuffed under my arm pit and my arm was numb.The tennis ball feeling soon went and my arm is not as numb only at the top inside and arm pit, but I’v got used to it now.

Good luck with your treatment and op.Best wishes Mel xx

Hi chipmunk,

I was the same as you (as many others are too) had my first op and they found evidence of disease in one of my lymph glands so I had to go back to have full node clearance, I remember feeling awful at the time not wanting further surgery so soon, but it was ok just in hospital 2 nights. I had just one node out of 20 infected but still needed chemo followed by radiotherapy. I know it all seems so daunting at the moment but believe me it is all doable just try and take one thing at a time and you will get there, I know that is hard to believe at the moment.

Hope all goes well and thinking of you.

Love Marinax

yes it is very common. The reason they do the biopsy is to check if any lymph nodes are affeted and if they are then a full clearence is usually what happens.

I had 7 infected found at biopsy which scared me - but after full clearence they found another two (out of a total of 24). It seems different people have different numbers of lymph nodes and your surgeon tries to remove as many as possbile.

Ususally even if only one is affected then they will advise Chemo - dependant on how many, type of cancer etc will they tell you which regime and whether you need RADS and hormone treatment too.

Its not nice having a second operation as like you I breathed a sigh of relief after my first one - but its best to get the cancer out and its not a big operation. I was out the next day and had restricted movement to my arm but did the exercises everyday and my arm soon got back to normal.

good luck xx

thanks everyone. Your comments have helped me get through the day and i’m feeling more positive. will keep in touch.

love chipmunk

Hi

I had a mastectomy and lymph node sampling in Dec 2006. When i went back for results in Jan 2007, 2 nodes out of the 3 taken were found to have cancer in them. So less than 3 weeks after my original surgery i was in hospital again for full clearance. They took away a further 33 nodes, but they were all clear. I went on to have 6 months of chemo, and i am now on Tamoxifen as my cancer was hormone receptive. I am very well now and waiting to go into hospital again for breast reconstruction. I wish you well for the future.

Love Carolynx

HI,

just found out today I am in the same postion as you. I have a grade 3 cancer with 1/3 nodes showing cancer and now have to go back for clearance and then chemo. Feeling scared and not wanting more surgery.
It is good to read others comments and helps me to keep positive. Hope your second surgery goes well!!!

love Shelly

Hi,

I am a first timer on here but read your message and:-

Similar to you I have had wide local incision and 3 nodes taken in July, unfortunately even though it was a grade 1 cancer there were cells found in one of my lymph nodes so I have had to have a further op to remove them all.
I dont know why but I felt really anxious this time, even though I had absolutely no pain and if I am honest very little discomfort with the last op I have been so scared.
Well, had the operation yesterday 9am, and I am home today! District nurse coming to me at home to deal with drain, but I am fine.

Good Luck, to you.
Karen

When I had lumpectony and node sampling, one node of 2 had cancer. I had second op for clearance. They removed another 13 and they were all OK.

I was only in hospital one night after clearance, then home with a drain for 12 days. The drainage time varies. Most people (I am told) take about 5/6 days so mine was lengthy. However, it wasn’t painful or a problem in any way. They gave me a very snazzy shoulder bag in which to cart around my bottle; and I enjoyed all the help with shopping, cooking etc …whilst I slept, watched TV, read books… I quite missed my bottle when they finally took it off!!!

One word of advice. Do not rely on your District Nurse (DN). The vacuum (drainage) bottle is, apparently, a specialist skill. My DN was not trained; and I had to go to my out of ours GP at the hospital when it needed changing.

On the positive side, my Grade 1 11mm 1/15 nodes cancer, when fed into the Adjuvant database, resulted in such a small percentage benefit from chemo THAT i DIDN’T NEED IT.

So, chin up gal. We are all rooting for you.

Hi - a quick update. I had my lymph glands removed two weeks ago. quite straitforward - just a few days in hospital with a drain in and then home. Coming home was harder than I expected and felt very down and anxious. Qite sore but phsio went well until a build up of fluid made it painful. Went back to the hospital yesterday and had the fluid drained so felt better. Also fairly good news in that only one other lymph node showed a miniscule sign of cancer. However its now chemo and radiotherapy probably starting at the end of October. Feeling a bit numb but more postive as all the signs are good for a positive outcome.

May even go back to work next week and hoping to have a couple of days away prior to starting chemo. Its been a stressful few weeks but the way forward looks clearer although seriosuly scary!!

Hi Chipmunk,

glad to hear all was okay. Your post as made me feel more positive about my second operation on Tuesday. Will be joining you for chemo and radiotherapy but not sure when.

If I was you I would go away for a break and forget about work… that will still be there when you get back,

Shelly