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When I recurred to supraclavicular nodes last year, they sent me to biopsy right away. But my nurse practitioner warned me that the lump could be a reaction to some kind of sinus or virus. I was hoping for that; unfortunately it was tested positive for cancer.
Then they gave 2 choices: since I couldn't eradiate the lump (already had radiation earlier), 1) have it taken out by surgery & be watched by an occasional CT scan, or 2) leave the lump in there, frequent a physical exam as often as every month & be monitored on the effectiveness of treatment (should the lump increase in size, we alter my treatment).
When I went in for a 2nd opinion on the node, they had the opposite recommendation to my current clinic. The 2nd opinion believed that a biopsy (even just a FNA) could cause it's size by just an inflammation. They also thought that the inflammation from a biopsy could mislead us on it's tumor markers. I didn't ask, though, what they thought about removing the lump completely. (Maybe I did ask, but don't seem to recall.)
My current clinic thinks that a biopsy was not harmful, but they do believe that the lump removal could spread cancer furthermore.
I just chose the 2nd selection & my FNA confirmed that the node was cancerous. My hormonal therapy & Herceptin together have been trying to keep my dang disease under control.
Good luck!
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