Freaking out. Internal mammary node

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Annabelle
Annabelle Member Posts: 45 ✭
in Newly diagnosed

Hi guys,

Did anyone have internal mammary node involvement?? I have one suspicious one and I'm terrified about this. Googling  has made me feel worse. Some people can have it removed but its more tricky. I'm hoping chemo and radio is enough to knock any cancer out of it. Would really appreciate to hear some advice on this?

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  • primek
    primek Member Posts: 5,392 ✭
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    Sorry don't know much about it but letting you know we are here for you. Trust your team and advise by them...and try to not Google any more for a bit...as it really does freak us out at times eh. Kath x
  • Annabelle
    Annabelle Member Posts: 45 ✭
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    Thanks Primek, apparently its not something they always pick up so I'm apparently lucky they have. I think people with medial tumours are more likely to have this.


  • melclarity
    melclarity Member Posts: 3,502 ✭
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    I also don't know much about that sorry Annabelle, hopefully someone can jump in who does! Sounds like you have a great team, very thorough, so hang on. Ohhh and yes stop googling lol, its not helpful, its good to get an idea but talk with your surgeon or oncologist, best way to get all your answers. Hang in there. x
  • peggysue
    peggysue Member Posts: 44 ✭
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    Hi Annabelle.   I did have a mammary lymph node that was cancerous.   As I had 2 tumors in the same breast I had a masectomy.   I also had 2 cancerous lymph nodes underarm..   I had FEC D chemo and radiation.  Now on Arimidex., and I am well with 5 years since diagnosis.   Wishing you all the best with your treatment.
  • Annabelle
    Annabelle Member Posts: 45 ✭
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    Thanks Peggy sue thats awesome to hear you are 5 years out and all good. I think it is more rare but its good they have picked it up and can target it with radiation. Did you have yours removed??
  • peggysue
    peggysue Member Posts: 44 ✭
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    Annabelle.   It was removed with the Masectomy.      Are you just staring your treatment?
      
  • Annabelle
    Annabelle Member Posts: 45 ✭
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    No I have done 6 months of chemo and had a masectomy, it was left because apparently its difficult to get too. Im a bit worried about that. I also had a axillary clearance with one node involved.
  • peggysue
    peggysue Member Posts: 44 ✭
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    glad to hear you are on your way to recovery.    I also had axillary clearance with 20 nodes removed and 2 being involved.    
  • Annabelle
    Annabelle Member Posts: 45 ✭
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    was there any complications with taking the internal mammary node? I'm wondering if I seek a second opinion.

  • peggysue
    peggysue Member Posts: 44 ✭
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    I had no complications.    I actually found the Masectomy to be a fairly painless procedure, apart from  the drains. I did not have a reconstruction.

    I would seek a second opinion if it was playing on my mind.             
  • Jacqui_p
    Jacqui_p Member Posts: 24 ✭
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    Hi Annabelle, my second sentinel node was an internal mammary node. The surgeon tried to get to it in my mastectomy surgery but couldn't as it was behind my rib. I've always worried about that especially as my underarm sentinel node had a micro-met. About a year later I got a second opinion from an oncologist and he said my surgeon did the right thing. He said most surgeons wouldn't even attempt to remove an internal mammary node as it is too risky. So try and not worry about it. Your chemo should have mopped anything up if it was there. 
  • Annabelle
    Annabelle Member Posts: 45 ✭
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    Thank you Jacqui_p for your reassurance. xxx
  • Opal
    Opal Member Posts: 1 ✭
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    I was diagnosed with a cancer in the 4 o'clock position right breast not far from intramammary nodes. My concern was about these nodes. When surgery was done they injected dye etc into nipple which travelled to sentinel nodes under arm. But if injected into cancer would it have gone to intramammary or underarm. I asked surgeon and oncologist re the intramammary nodes and was told not to worry.  Once I start Arimidex after radiotherapy that any cancer cells remaining should reduce/disappear.

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