FDA Approves Lymphoseek

jessiesmom1
jessiesmom1 Member Posts: 915 Member
in Breast Cancer #1

I thought that the pink sisters and brothers might be interested in this information. It is always good to know that research is moving forward.

On March 13th the U.S. Food and Drug Administration  approved Lymphoseek (technetium Tc 99m tilmanocept) Injection, a radioactive diagnostic imaging agent that helps doctors locate lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer or melanoma who are undergoing surgery to remove tumor-draining lymph nodes.

Lymph nodes filter lymphatic fluid that flows from the body’s tissues. This fluid may contain cancer cells, especially if the fluid drains a part of the body containing a tumor. By surgically removing and examining the lymph nodes that drain a tumor, doctors can sometimes determine if a cancer has spread.

Lymphoseek is an imaging drug that helps locate lymph nodes; it is not a cancer imaging drug. Lymphoseek is the first new drug used for lymph node mapping to be approved in more than 30 years.

IRENE

Comments

  • jamiegww
    jamiegww Member Posts: 384
    #2
    Thanks for the info Irene!

    It won't help me now but hopefully it will help newly diagnosed patients.  I remember being shocked that my surgeon removed 17 lymph nodes and he said that you can't see them so they just "slice a chunk" (probably my words) not knowing how many lymph nodes they are getting.  Hopefully the Lymphoseek will help them find the lymph nodes so they won't have to remove so many?  There definitely needs to be some more progress in this mess!

    HUGS!!!

    Jamie

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