lymph node surgery

I had a masectomy six weeks ago and one lymph node removed which has some cancer in. 3 days ago I had axillary clearance (level 2) does anyone know what happens if cancer is found in these lymph nodes. Will they remove the rest of them (don’t really want more surgery)

Hi lindilou,

Thank you for your post and I am sure some of our users will be along to share their experiences and show their support soon. 

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Best wishes, 

Bonita 

Really sorry that you had cancer in your lymph nodes and had to go back for a clearance up to level 2.

 

I had a talk to my Surgeon about this when weighing up the alternatives for my own Lymph nodes.

He said that there rarely did more than a level 2 clearance. Even for cancer in one Lymph node the practise is changing and now they don’t always do a level 2 clearance.

 

If you are pre-chemo and pre-rads you may find they they choose to treat any possible existing cancer using these methods or if HER2+ then Herceptin. 

 

Sadly, what they do seems to vary from one NHS hospital to another. They may have a different attitude to my surgeon.