Wednesday, September 23, 2009 las2357 asks

Q: If the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes is there pain associate with it?

I went to the doctors yesterday and the MRI showed the cancer did not spread. The doctor suggested a lumpectomy and sentinel nody biopsy to make sure it hadn't spread to the nodes. The tumor is 2.3 centimeters which is the measurement from the MRI. Any info you can give me would be appreciated.

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Answers (3)

PJ Hamel, Health Guide

9/23/09 4:37pm

Hi - could you clarify your question a bit? Sounds like you're getting just the right treatment/tests; a sentinel node biopsy will show for sure whether the cancer has left your breast. A lumpectomy will confirm the size of the tumor as shown in the MRI. In general, if cancer has spread to your lymph nodes, it wouldn't be painful - e.g., your underarms wouldn't ache or feel sore... Please write again with more specific questitons, if you have them. Thanks - PJH

las2357

9/23/09 4:48pm

You did answer my question. Another question I have is that my mammogram showed the lump as a centimeter and then the MRI showed it as 2.3. How come there is such a big difference?

PJ Hamel, Health Guide

9/23/09 7:05pm

MRIs are more sensitive and give a more complete picture than mammograms. However, they also come up with more "false positives" - "seeing" a tumor that really isn't there. Bottom line, you won't know how big this tumor is till it's removed and examined by the pathologist. Good luck with your surgery - PJH

hockeymom

9/24/09 2:42pm

I was diagnosed with TN cancer in June 2008. An MRI was done before the surgery and it showed the cancer had not spread. The sentinel node biopsy showed there was one lymph node with cancer in it out of eight. I think that an MRI is more accurate to see cancer tumors and not microscopic cells in lymph nodes. My arm pit was very painful at the time the tumor was found. I hope that your cancer has not spread.

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Q: If the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes is there pain associate with it?

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