Lymph nodes removal by surgery

To create a breast cancer treatment plan, your doctor needs to first find out if the tumor has spread to the lymph nodes.

In breast cancer, the lymphatic system is pivotal in the evolution and dispersion of the disease. Lymphatic vessels collect the lymph (fluid discharged by cells that contain toxins, waste and other unwanted material) from organs and tissues, such as the breasts, to “clean” and then return them to the blood system. As a result they can act like a door into the body for the malignant cells that traveling in the lymph can reach and invade other organs.

In the past, the only solution was to remove the axillary (armpit) lymph nodes (about 20 to 40 nodes), a surgery called axillary lymph node dissection. Although a simple operation, it carries a potentially dangerous side effect: lymphedema

Lymphedema is the buildup of lymph that is not being drained properly, normally in the arms or legs.  It occurs when several lymphatic vessels/nodes are damaged by surgery or radiotherapy, causing overload of the remaining ones.  It causes swelling, discomfort, and, if not treated, even tissue damage.

Today, treatment centers can offer most women a more conservative surgery that is easier to tolerate and with shorter recovery time allowing a quicker return to normal life, called  sentinel lymph node biopsy .