Second Mastectomy 2+ years after first one.

[*_Martha_*]

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone has undergone a mastectomy to their remaining breast two or more years after their original surgery due to mets? Or, has anyone had axillary nodes removed from the opposite side of original mastectomy due to mets? I had mastectomy two years ago and now have a good number of nodes infested on the opposite side. I was told surgery wouldn't do any good. From what they tell me the breast isn't affected yet, just the nodes under the arm; which to me is worse than the breast itself. I also have nodes involved behind clavicle on orginal side. Any info would be much appreciated. Blessings to all.

[Lisa]

BC can of course spread to organs or lymph nodes. I have had both. I assume you'll start a chemo course soon with Herceptin if you're Her2 pos. The good news is that lymph nodes heal quicker than major organs like lung, brain, or liver. I assume, too, that you've had complete body scans. If you have not had a brain MRI, request one. With or without symptoms.

Most breast cancers do not spread to the opposite breast. Mets go to the organs I mentioned or lymph nodes usually. There are exceptions. But at this point, I'm just wondering why you're considering another mastectomy? The cancer has already metastised beyond the breast.

Tell us more and we can possible support you to a greater extent in talking with your doctor.

Love and light,

Lisa

[Ellen]

I have inflammatory bc and I have had two mastectomies about a year apart. My first was May 2004 after chemo. Results were great and I was declared ned. Went for 33 radiation treatments and two weeks after competing it I found a new lump in my good breast. Diagnosed as lobular with ibc. My first was ductal with ibc. Started chemo and had excellent response and everyone felt I should have surgery to increase my survival. Had my second surgery on April 22, 2005. Restarted chemo and will be starting radiation again. I have not had a break. My onc tells me it would be better if these were two primaries as opposed to spread of ibc which would make me stage 4 and not curable. He tells me he really does not know--there are things that are similar and different about the two cancers. Both were er- and her2+3. I am on herceptin for a year. I had the impression that you have a much better chance to control or at least delay the spread of disease if you have the surgery. I sure hope so! I should also tell you that I wanted a double mastectomy the first time and went for an mri which did not show anything and drs. decided against it. I hope this info helps you question your dr. so you can make a good decision. Ask your drs. lots of questions until you feel satified. Good luck.

[Lyn]

I have just had treatment to my remaining breast 7years after the radical mastectomy. I had or have it in the skin and in a lump, mastectomy was not even mentioned. I had no node involvement this time in the arm pit, strange I can't work out how it got there. I had 26 rounds of radiation coinciding with Xeloda and Carboplatin. I have always had mine return in the lymph glands and the skin, and only the 16 at the original surgery have ever been removed. Radiation kills what is trapped in the lymph gland then the lymph gland returns back to normal, usually. Here is a bit of an explanation. My onc and I can't decide how to test my breast after I had pretty bad radiation burns that put me in hospital. Apart from that on paper I am NED again until I find something else.

What are lymph nodes and how are they affected by breast cancer?The lymph nodes (which are also called lymph glands) are part of the lymphatic system which is one of the body's natural defences against infections.

Lymph nodes are found all over the body and are connected by a network of tiny lymphatic vessels. The lymph nodes you are most likely to notice are in the armpit, neck and groin. The number of lymph nodes varies from one part of the body to another, in some parts there are very few whereas under each arm there may be between 20 and 50 nodes.

The lymphatic vessels drain a colourless fluid, called lymph, from the various organs of the body to nearby lymph nodes.

Lymph nodes may be affected by cancer in one of two ways, either as a primary or a secondary site of the condition.

When the lymph glands are the primary site of a cancer this means that the cancer actually starts in the lymph glands themselves. These cancers may be either lymphomas or certain types of leukaemia, called lymphatic leukaemia. There are many different types of lymphoma. Some lymphomas start in a single group of lymph nodes in one part of the body, whilst others affect a number of groups of nodes at different sites. The lymphatic leukaemias usually affect several different groups of nodes.

When lymph nodes are involved by secondary cancer this means that cancer cells have spread through the lymphatic vessels, from a primary cancer in another organ, to the lymph glands. Usually this sort of spread occurs in a stepwise way, so that the glands nearest to the organ with the primary cancer are the first to be affected.

Most breast cancers occur in the outer half of the breast. This means that with a breast cancer, if it does spread, then the lymph nodes under the arm are usually the first to be involved since these are the glands closest to that part of the breast. Sometimes, much less commonly, if a breast cancer occurs in the inner half of the breast, closer to the breast bone, then cells may drain to lymph nodes which lie in the chest, just below the breast bone (these are called the internal mammary lymph nodes).

You cannot normally feel your lymph nodes but when they are invaded by cancer cells they usually become swollen and enlarged. But lymph nodes also swell when they are fighting infection, and in a number of other non-cancerous illnesses, so enlargement of your lymph glands can caused by many things other than primary or secondary cancer.



Content last reviewed: 14 April 2004
Page last modified: 22 August 2005 Q&As
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