Whether to have a sentinel node biopsy

Hi @diana456

Yes I also had to make that decision for. A SN biopsy during my left Breast mastectomy. I had been diagnosed IDC with a 5.2 cm behind my nipple in Dense breast. My Breast surgeon recommended the Sentinal Node biopsy because of the size of my tumor.. on ultrasound it showed up to be 4 cm, but when he went in he found the tumor to be 5.2 cm..so he took the SN and sent it to Patholgy.. 2 days later he informed me there were cancer cells in the SN. So he scheduled another surgery to biopsy other nodes. In the recovery room he told me he removed a group of 18 nodes he said like a cluster of grapes. There were 2 other nodes positive for cancer cells… so he took 18. I’m not sorry they were taken. My diagnosis following mastectomy and lymph node dissection was Stage IIIA. So my Oncologist put me on Adrimyacin, Paclotaxol and Taxotere chemo infusions and Zometa .I finished surgery & radiation treatment and felt “Cancer Free for years. I kept up my oncology follow-ups every 6 months for Lab blood work and occasional scans over the years. I had been clear of any cancer and stable clear scans from 2009 , and then in 2022,my lab work came out rising tumor markers in my blood 🩸. The number had always been a steady normal 25-26, but suddenly in 2022 during my 6 monthly follow up it jumped to 84 which showed traveling tumor cells from the original cancer primary breast tumor and were seen in the lymph biopsies. So Oncologist told me to get in for scans. He ordered bone CT Pet & MRI scans, and they showed the cancer had showed up in my bones as bone metastasis to ribs spine, sternum, hips and sacrum. So cancer is very insidious and cells from original tumor can hide out for period of time and suddenly show up anywhere in bone, lungs , liver or brain.. My oncologist has me on meds now that were not available before 2017. it’s a good cocktail of treatment for Stage IV Breast Cancer. Those of us who get breast cancer have more options to live a longer productive life with our loved ones due to the latest cancer treatments today, I am on Verzenio Pill 100 mg 2 x daily , Fasoldex injection Hormonal disruptor, and XGeva injection, Monoclonal antibody..I get those injections one a month with labs and oncology follow up., and he scans me every 3or 4 months.🌷

I don’t know if Sentinal node biopsy is as crucial today as it used to be, but it let’s your Oncologist know if there are any cells that have broken off your tumor and gotten into your lymph nodes. This information gives your oncologist knowledge on how he will treat you and surveillance of your type of cancer.. those extra cells in my lymph’s were like little dandelion puffer seeds that escape and find their way into a nice green lawn to suddenly sprout those yellow flowered dandelion weeds on a nice healthy green lawn. That’s how I look at it, they can pop up anytime anywhere even after the Primary Tumor has been removed. If I were you I would trust what your breast surgeon and oncologist recommends.. I always remember Sentinal node biopsy was standard in 2009 when I was diagnosed , but today I don’t know. I can only give my experience as a Stage IV Breast cancer 17 yr survivor.

Take great care, have a peaceful day, and God Bless you.🩵🌷