HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - importance of micromets in the node less than .02 cm.....

Becky · 10-08-2006, 11:09 AM

I stained 2 micromets to my sentinel node (both were less than 1.8 mm). At my surgery, my surgeon said I was lucky to be node negative but at Sloane - they said "whoa Nellie" and discovered 2 tiny mets to the sentinel. So... depressingly, I ended up with one node involved. Thankfully so however because I got AC followed by Taxol and had no problem getting Herceptin too. I think if I didn't have the node involved (or it was but not discovered), I would have had 4 AC (since the tumor was over 1cm) but that would have been it. So I think in the long run, it worked out since 2 spots is not as bad as a loaded node and it really had to be looked for.

So, I always say that besides a second medical opinion, one should always get the slides looked at by another pathologist as well.

Have a nice weekend

Becky

10-08-2006, 11:09 AM	#7
Becky Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Stockton, NJ Posts: 4,179	I stained 2 micromets to my sentinel node (both were less than 1.8 mm). At my surgery, my surgeon said I was lucky to be node negative but at Sloane - they said "whoa Nellie" and discovered 2 tiny mets to the sentinel. So... depressingly, I ended up with one node involved. Thankfully so however because I got AC followed by Taxol and had no problem getting Herceptin too. I think if I didn't have the node involved (or it was but not discovered), I would have had 4 AC (since the tumor was over 1cm) but that would have been it. So I think in the long run, it worked out since 2 spots is not as bad as a loaded node and it really had to be looked for. So, I always say that besides a second medical opinion, one should always get the slides looked at by another pathologist as well. Have a nice weekend Becky