Good morning and sorry for the flurry of posts. Is there anyone else on here who had a lymph node biopsy at the same time as breast biopsy? This is my biggest worry - if the node already looks suspicious on ultrasound it must be quite bad. Would love to hear from anyone with a similar experience
Good morning Grannyp .Don’t worry about posting multiple times we all do that in the beginning there is such a lot to get your head around and so many unanswered questions .You can drive yourself crazy trying to work out what everything means but until your breast team have all the information no-one really knows what they are dealing with .I didn’t have suspicious nodes but several of the ladies I met through the forum (5 years ago now) did and I still keep in touch with them .They are all still cancer free after treatment and the cancer had not spread elsewhere .The sentinel nodes are designed to catch the cancer and stop it travelling further .Your team will look at how much cancer is in each node (if it’s only tiny amounts they don’t see that as significant ) and also how many nodes are affected .Its good that you had your biopsy done at the same time so you should have a clear picture before and surgery which saves further anxious waiting .Best wishes Jillx
Hi grannyp
This is a very anxious time, when our imaginations go into overdrive and we dwell on all the bad publicity that breast cancer gets. Simultaneous node biopsies are common but that doesn’t mean they come back positive. If they do, even then it’s not disastrous news because, as I found, nodes are usually very good at doing their job. My node biopsies were positive and my treatment plan changed to a full mastectomy and axillary clearance (removal of the nodes). 19 of the 21 removed were infected. I had a CT scan and bone scan, as well as 2 MRIs, and two years on, there’s no sign of any spread. As far as I can see, the nodes had done a fine job containing the disease and I look forward realistically but optimistically 
I hope that helps you to understand why such a biopsy is important. Please don’t assume the worst but be realistic to the possibility - then don’t assume the worst. Stay off Google, as the information is disastrously generalised and frightening unless we are armed with precise understanding of our specific diagnosis. Maybe focus on your emotions for now. Learn how to manage them through yoga, tai chi, running, mindfulness, whatever works for you. Me, I plugged into YouTube videos that got me through the whole treatment and beyond (I love Progrssive Hypnosis’s Manifest Healing and still plug in when I need to).
I wish you all the best and hope you get reassuring news x
Hi grannyp. When i went to the breast clinic they said my armpit felt swollen and i hadn’t even noticed! But my cancer is in the lymph nodes there. At one point, they were saying it could be in the lymph nodes in my chest too which showed up on a ct scan. Thankfully it wasn’t. But my consultant has said they’re aiming to cure me. So try not to worry too much if it is in your lymph nodes, they can still do something about it. Have they told you when you’re getting results. I hope it goes well for you
3 Likes