Originally published in November 2003 icon
Patricia Peat is a registered nurse who has combined vast experience of working in oncology with years of research into natural approaches to dealing with cancer.
Patricia runs Cancer Options a private Integrative Cancer Consultancy.
You can send your questions to Patricia c/o Health Issues Ltd. or e-mail [email protected].
Cancer Options is a specialised team of practitioners providing individual consultancy and coaching into treatment and making decisions for all approaches to cancer.
November 2003
Q:
I have been diagnosed with breast cancer. My surgeon has told me he wants to do a total lymph node clearance just in case. This seems a bit drastic to me. Are there other options?A:
There is a method called sentinel lymph node biopsy, but it depends on whether your surgeon uses it yet. It is a test to determine if cancer has spread to the lymph ducts or lymph notes in the axilla, without having to do a traditional axillary lymph node dissection. Experience has shown us that the lymph ducts of the breast usually drain to one lymph node first, before draining through the rest of them underneath the arm. That first one, called the sentinel lymph node, helps sound the warning that the cancer has spread. Lymph node mapping helps identify that lymph node, and a sentinel lymph node biopsy removes only that one. The sentinel lymph node is identified by injection of a dye. The best ways of doing this are still being studied and a traditional axillary lymph node dissection is still considered normal procedure.