Hello everyone, I have just joined this forum in search of comfort, even though I am not a native speaker, and I am using a translator to express myself as best as I can. I had surgery this summer with a radical mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with implants. The oncologist I saw a month ago wanted to reanalyze the biopsy taken before the surgery, which had shown positive results for lymph nodes. However, the one they removed during the surgery was negative. Now, the oncologist told me this morning that the result of the initial biopsy (which was reanalyzed) is correct, meaning I have infected lymph nodes. Tomorrow, I have an appointment with the new surgeon because they want to perform another operation. Honestly, I don’t know what to think. Has anyone had similar experiences and can help me understand? I am feeling very discouraged.
Thank you.
Hi @bluesunflower,
Welcome to the forum, I hope you find it a helpful and supportive place. I can understand why you’re feeling so uncertain.
Please do have a look through the various boards and topics to find those going through similar experiences.
This is a very supportive place, so please do ask any questions you may have.
All the best,
Dear blueSunflower have you got any news from your new surgeon yet? I am sorry you have had bad news. Where do you live? Do you have any friends who can help you? Are there nurses who can explain about your diagnosis? Do you have a family ?
Please know I have had breast cance two times and have had a lymph node full of cancer and I have lived for over 20 years since my first diagnosis. Treatment is better now.
Seagulls
Hello seagulls, thank you for your message. I saw the surgeon last week; he wants to operate me without even conducting any imaging tests (CT scan, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound). They have put me on a wait list for surgery to completely empty the armpit, based solely on the pre-operative biopsy. Yesterday, I saw the oncologist who has been following me since the beginning, and she was shocked by their behaviour. She told me that even the public healthcare oncologist had called her. Now she has ordered blood tests, a magnetic resonance imaging, and a CT scan for me. Of course, I immediately removed myself from the public healthcare surgical list. Honestly, I too am shocked at how people are treated. The oncologist told me that lymph node dissection can cause permanent damage to the arm, whereas she believes that even if there is something, only the infected ones should be removed. Fortunately, my husband and children are supporting me.
I’m sorry seagulls for what you have experienced. How was the infected lymph node discovered? Did you have any symptoms before?
Ihadafewlymphnodestakenthefirsttime.
thatwasin2003andtheonestakenoutwereallcancerfree.
Ihadsegmentalmastectomyandradiotherapy.
19yearslaterIfoundtwolumpsintheremainingtissueinmybreast
AsIhadalreadyhadradiotherapyandapartialmastectomyIknewIwouldhavetohaveamastectomysoI
haddiepreconstructionatthesametime
Oneofthelumpsturnedouttobeanintramammarynode.Itwasfullofcancer.WhentheyscannedmyleftarmpittheydidnotfindanylymphnodesthereIthoughttheyhadsampledthemin2003toseeifanywerecancerousbuttheymusthavesampled100%astherewerenonethere,seagulls
Hello seagulls, I finally got the results of the CT scan and MRI, and there are no pathological lymph nodes, so no surgical intervention is necessary. I continue to think that if my private oncologist had not had me undergo these tests, public healthcare would have performed an axillary lymph node dissection without reason.