Breast Cancer Treatment

Hi Jim, The standard followup for a positive sentinal node is to remove all level I nodes. Experience has taught the medical profession this is the most likely avenue for breast cancer to spread. I've never seen a number associated with an axillary dissection. Perhaps yur wife's surgeon was estimating. Lymph nodes aren't like lungs. The number we have is unique to each of us. I had 13 level I nodes removed, a close friend only had 9. Your wife is premenopausal putting her at an increased risk of recurrance. Aggressive chemo is also the standard course of treatment with a diagnosis like hers. You asked about side effects. It is likely your wife will lose feeling in the underarm affected. It will feel like it's been numbed. She will need to do daily exercises, according to her surgeon's instructions, to prevent loss of mobility in the arm. She will probably be advised to refrain from lifting weights in excess of 10 pounds and to use her "good" arm for all needle sticks or blood pressure checks. These can contribute to another possible side effect, lymphedema. I can tell you that I have full mobility and use of my arm and do not suffer any swelling. My thoughts regarding the choices we must make are these: I could never forgive myself if I the cancer returned and I hadn't done everything I could the first time around to prevent it. I accept that there are no guarantees and that breast cancer can spread through the blood stream as easily as it can through the lymph system. That reality did not change my decision to have the axillary dissection. I chose mastectomy and had the chemo. It wasn't the easiest of experiences and bald wasn't my best look but I'm almost 3 years past surgery and remain cancer free. My hair is back and so is the normalcy of my life. I take a drug to protect me from a recurrance of my ER+ cancer and endure joint pain for the security of this added protection. I did my exercises and have full use of my left arm, which I continue to guard as advised. It's a small price to pay, I believe, for getting my life back. Your posting indicated you had gone for multiple opinions which was the right thing to do. Now your wife will have to make a choice based on what is most important to her. If you read past postings here, you will see that there is no single course of action for all of us. Weigh the information your doctors have given you and then make the choice that is easiest for your wife to live with. I will remember her in my prayers and wish you both the best of luck.
terri