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Breast Cancer (Expert Forum)
Repeat SNB
Answered by
Cleveland Clinic - Breast cancer
Cleveland - OH
Questions posted in the Breast Cancer Forum are answered by medical professionals from The Cleveland Clinic. Topics include Breast Biopsy, Chemotherapy, Hormone Therapy, Lumps, Lumpectomy, Lymph node dissection, Lymphedema, Mammograms, Mastectomy, Radiation Therapy, Reconstruction, Self Breast Exam, and Surgery.
Repeat SNB
by gadabout, Jul 11, 2008 01:14PM
I've recently been diagnosed with local recurrence 9mm (primary was in 2000) and am scheduled for bilateral mastectomy. In 2000, I had 3 sentinels plus 11 other nodes removed - all negative, but not sure if this was actually a complete dissection or not. With the recurrence, I've had CT with and without contrast as well as PET/CT scans and neither shows any axillary involvement. Is it possible or recommended to do a SNB again? Someone recently suggested scintimammogram. Would this help in any way? Thank you!
Doctor's Answer
by Cleveland Clinic, Jul 15, 2008 01:38PM
, Jul 15, 2008 01:38PM
Dear gadabout: Your initial lymph node removal would not be a complete axillary dissection but, rather, a sampling of lymph nodes or partial axillary node dissection. Nonetheless, in the setting of a local recurrence, it is often not feasible to go back in and take additional lymph nodes.
Member Comments (2)
by gadabout, Jul 15, 2008 07:21PM
Can you elaborate a little on why this is "often not feasible"? I didn't mention previously, but I have had whole breast radiation which I have heard can make repeat SNB not accurate. But doesn't the lymph fluid somehow redirect, so could there be another sentinel node now?
