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 - sentinel lymph node was removed to check for spread (breast cancer). The sentinel is the guardian - that’s how it was explained to me

@Silverbirchleaf is that the dye thing they do pre surgery?

Not for my son who had non hodgkins lymphoma. To be fair, they had no idea he had cancer during his first surgery which involved the surgeon removing all of the cancer without even realising it. Surgery isn't usually standard for the cancer he had but it caused a bowel obstruction.

When it came back 4 months later, he didn't have surgery. He was stage 2 the first time and stage 3 the second time, bowel only both times.

Yes, Kent.

I had 3 sentinel nodes removed due for lobular breast cancer when I had my lumpectomy - they injected it with dye the morning of the op. All were clearc thankfully

Yes. Total lymph node clearance on the affected side which might be standard for inflammatory breast cancer as it’s a bit of a weird one. I now have Lymphodema 🙁

I had a few out even though my tumor was pretty much non existent by the time they did the surgery- I had triple negative bc and had had 6 months of chemo and immunotherapy first.

Yes, luckily all were clear, I had chemo before surgery and radiotherapy after.
Unfortunately I now have lymphoedema and restricted movement in my right arm which is annoying as I’m right handed.

Yes all as they had cancer in them - neck

Are you coming back OP?