Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

This morning I called Karen (the surgical coordinator). The surgery will be approximately three hours long.

I will be injected with radioactive dye and the dye will then be drained into my nodes. They will perform a Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy.



What is a Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy?

The sentinel node is the first lymph node that a tumor drains into. So, it’s the first place that cancer is likely to spread. In breast cancer, the sentinel node is usually one of the axillary lymph nodes in the armpit. A sentinel lymph node biopsy can be performed at the same time as a lumpectomy or a mastectomy. During the biopsy, one or more lymph nodes are removed. These are sent to the lab to be studied. If there are cancer cells in the sentinel node, this means the cancer has likely spread outside the breast. But if no cancer cells are found in the sentinel node, this means the cancer has probably not spread. A sentinel node biopsy gives the doctors valuable information, with less risk to you than some other procedures.

How is the Sentinel Node Found?

There are 2 methods for finding the sentinel node. Your surgeon may use 1 or both of these techniques:

A blue dye may be injected near the breast tissue. Then, its path into the lymph nodes is tracked. The dye collects in the sentinel node.

A small amount of a safe radioactive solution may be injected near the tumor. A gamma detector is then used to find the “hotspot,” which is the node where the solution has collected.

There are risks:

Infection
Bleeding
Fluid collection (seroma)
Pain or numbness
Long-term swelling of the arm (lymphedema)

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After I spoke to Karen, I spoke to Sara, my nurse navigator - cancer buddy. We were supposed to have my pre-op training over the phone. Sara mentioned there is another patient - Janice - who is a bit down. Janice is having the same surgery I am having and on the same day as my surgery. Sara asked if I would be willing to go to the Breast Center this Wednesday at 7:30 am and have the pre-op training with Janice instead of today over the phone. I told her it was fine - I will be there at 7:30. I'll even give Janice my cell phone number.

I can only imagine what Janice must be feeling.

Will this be the final leg of the difficult 'cancer' journey?

I wonder if she sits in front of the mirror as I do and stares at her 'sick' breast?

Has she lost her appetite? Has she lost weight? Does she have a difficult time sleeping?

Does she feel as though she is in some sort of twilight zone, this is all a bad dream, this can't really be happening?

Hang in there Janice. Five years from now we'll be looking back and laughing at ourselves!