It’s been bugging me for a while, but I have not had the chance to ask anyone…on my letters from the hospital, it gives my history with each one and path report (cancer type etc). I have only noticed on the more recent ones that it states I had Lymphovascular invasion present. Now I only had a sentinel node biopsy during bilat mx, one node had a micromet.
What does this mean to have LVI and does this make the chances of re-occurance and mets higher?
Sorry, I have tried to look it up online, but it brings up loads of medical research papers that I cannot understand fully!
Paula so sorry can’t help you with this but have similar concern as my report says ‘probable lymphatis invasion, no vascular invasion, perineural invasion is noted.’ Am not at all sure what this means in terms of chances of re occurances. Another question for my Onc so late Sept at soonest when I think I may next see him, just started Rads.I had WLE and ANC and re-excision for wider margins. ANC showed 4/11 nodes. Tumour was all Grade 1. Not very helpful I expect?Love Jackie
hi Paula,
I had LVI on my pathology report. My understanding is that this means the tumour has started to make its own blood vessels and it may be a way cancer spreads. I was obviously worried when i read this and tried to google information. As you said the information ‘out there’ appears complicated. When I mentioned this to my oncologist he said that whilst LVI was taken into account for treatment options it had less significance than lymph node involvement.Like you I would be interested in discussing this more. There is much more information and knowledge about lymph node involvement yet LVI appears to be viewed with differing degrees of seriosness.
Trish
I don’t know if this helps but it does sort of explain it in words I think I understand.
"Lymphovascular Invasion
Breast cancers have a blood supply like normal tissue and organs. Tumors also have lymphatic channels running through them, which serve as a circulatory system in the body for tissue fluid and proteins separate from the blood circulation. If cancer cells under the microscope appear to invade into the blood vessels or lymphatic channels of the tumor, the possibility that cancer cells have spread to the lymph nodes or other areas in the body increases. This is called lymphovascular invasion or LVI."
There was no LVI on my report but it did say I had extranodal spread, which is where the cancer in the lymph node has grown into the surrounding fatty tissue. I had cancer in 3 lymph nodes and extranodal spread around one of them and this does increase my chances of reocurance. In 1 research paper I read it was a 13% increase over women who just had cancer in nodes. But like anything it’s not set in stone as other facters will come into play, like size of tumours and number of nodes infected.
Cat
I will ask my consultant next time I see her, I have been back through my letters and the first few after diagnosis and surgery (results) did not mention LVI, so very odd that it should start to be mentioned.