minimal prognostic or survival rate value in analysing sentinel lymph node tissue for

[Becky]

Dear Jean

Thanks for posting. As some may know, my initial sentinel node screening was "node negative" but later, upon further inspection, it was found I had 2 small micromets to the sentinel node and was deemed node positive. My tumor was 1.9 cm but in a sense (now) I am alittle grateful for that minor positive node because over 6 years ago, they would have only given me 4AC treatments and no taxol. I also believe that later, when Herceptin became available, I would have had trouble getting that too due to negative nodes (although the tumor size was formible). There were other issues too as Sloane Kettering's evaluation was that they felt the tumor might have been bigger and measurement was hampered by a large cyst (11cm) that was pressed tightly against the tumor (tumor was probably hampering proper lymph drainage).

So, its nice I had the book thrown at me at a time when one would have had to fight to get the book thrown at them if they were node negative (and that my micromets really don't mean much prognostically).