A quick question for cancer survivors (who have had surgery)

[CandyEnclosingInvisible]

If you have had any surgery for cancer, please can you tell me, just yes or no, whether your surgery included the removal of any lymph node

After my own surgery I was told that the surgeon made sure to include a neighbouring lymph node in the material removed, so that it could be analysed to check for any spread of cancer cells, and that good news - no trace of cancer spread. This is great.

What I'd like to know is - how normal a part of cancer surgery is it to remove a lymph node to make this kind of check - does it happen every time?

Yes

Yes

DH had 19 removed.

I had 15 removed, all of them clear.

Yes, initially 2 then a further 17

I had BC surgery and this is normal, and in my case reassuring that it hadn’t spread anywhere else

Yes, it’s perfectly normal. (Breast cancer)

In my hospital, they pioneered a technique whereby they sent a bubble down to see which lymph node would be hit first, and only took that node out. In the past, several would be taken out, ands that’s what caused oedema in the arm. (Very basic scientific explanation there).

100% normal I would say, and yes I did.

No. None of mine were removed

Yes I did, just the one nearest to the primary tumour.
Whats worrying you, OP?

@CandyEnclosingInvisible
In my experience yes, 2010 had lumpectomy of right breast with removal of some lymph nodes for testing. 2014 lumpectomy of left breast plus removal of lymph nodes. 2023 aggressive cancer found again in right, had double mastectomy, in all cases lymph nodes were clear after testing.

Hope this helps.

Yes, on both sides.

Yes, multiple

Yes, multiple

No. But mine wasn't breast cancer, and they were pretty sure it hadn't started to spread.

Yes and in my case there were cancer cells in one node. It meant I was followed more closely for the next 2 years. Endometrial cancer with a radical hysterectomy.

Yes

I've had two breast cancers involving surgery to remove the lump from the breast. The first was an estrogen based cancer which was caught fairly early on through a routine mammogram. I did not have lymph nodes removed that time.

The second was triple negative, a more serious diagnosis. I did have all my lymph nodes removed from that arm pit and one was positive for cancer.

I was injected with dye so the sentinel node could be identified; that node was removed and screened. The dye was noticeable for over a year, all gone now.

Same. For breast cancer. They only took that sentinel node. I don’t notice the dye.

Yes- one sentinel node
My DSis had 46 nodes removed.

Yes. BC. 22 removed, 2 had it plus 1 with a pin prick - I then had chemo cos of the pin prick. I'm careful of that arm, I have had to exclude exercises which put constant pressure on it (press ups, mountain climbers, plank etc) but have adapted and found alternatives. Almost 6 years and no sign of swelling, yet 🤞.

Yep - I had 7 (I think) removed - they were tested - all Ok

Yes. BC had 2 removed to test they were clear. Massive relief.

Yes.

Recent breast cancer lumpectomy surgery.
I was informed beforehand that that would remove 1 or 2 lymph nodes for testing, regardless of already had a negative biopsy.