I'm confused

Hi Blossom1961,
I had a full auxiliary node clearance- about 17 removed in 2003. When I had an ultrasound( done with my mammogram) the technician found a remaining lymph node in my armpit so I guess the surgeon doesn’t always get all of them.You may have a few stray nodes and they could be enlarged for all sorts of reasons but ofcourse we immediately jump to cancer! That’s our normal reaction but hopefully it’s nothing.

Thanks @noosa_blue150. I learn something every day. It make sense to me given surgery not as sophisticated back then. It was about 55 years ago when mine were snipped out 😀

Well, that sucks, Bloss. 

Cath62- just to clarify about tonsils ! I was told by a dr years ago that surgical technique’s years ago were not sophisticated and often tonsils only snipped off ( in fact they sorta had roots and they’d regrow_ that’s perhaps not  the correct medical,expression - see link .) My mother had noted I’d had my tonsils out twice in the family bible in separate years and I’d alway thought she’d got it wrong but he said no, it happened often.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/can-your-tonsils-grow-back-after-a-tonsillectomy-1192004

From Google 

Lymph nodes are located in many parts of the body, including the neck, armpit, chest, abdomen (belly), and groin. They contain immune cells that can help fight infection by attacking and destroying germs that are carried in through the lymph fluid. There are hundreds of lymph nodes throughout the body.2 Mar 2021

Wow @Blossom1961 that must have been a shock. Fingers crossed for your results. 

While very different 30 years ago I had a sore throat and dr told me I had tonsillitis. What the? I had my tonsils out at as a child but they somehow grew half back. It's all very strange. Never had tonsillitis again. 

Hope you can keep busy to distract yourself till those results come back. Best wishes 💐

Google has some good uses too for gathering information....if you google "lymph nodes breast cancer" and then click on 'images', you'll find a number of diagrams showing l the lymphatic system in the areas mentioned above as well as in the chest.

From what I understand, there are level 1, level 2 and level 3 lymph nodes considered in breast cancer. Level 1 nodes are in the armpit (axilla), level 2 about halfway between axilla and neck and then level 3 at the base and up the side of the neck. They are linked together like a string of pearls with clumps of them, like grapes, along those strings of lymph vessels. Perhaps your clearance was all of the nodes at level 1, or 1 and 2, but that this node in question is further up the chain? Eithe way, I hope they get to the bottom of this and that the node is swollen because of a small infection or similar. Did you have any vaccinations, either covid, flu, whooping cough or similar in that arm recently, as that can cause lymph node swelling too?

I had a full lymph node clearance on the right arm pit (about 16 removed) and two were cancerous.  To my understanding a "full lymph node clearance" is known as roughly 75% being removed, so there are still some left.  On the left I had approximately 6 removed and none were cancerous.  It is all about as clear as mud if you ask me what they consider a full lymph node clearance.   That being said I wish you all the best and hoping you have good results @Blossom1961

Keep your chin up and take care and I wish you all the best for happy results.   xx

Oh my gosh - I am feeling for you bigtime xx  All the best for your results of the biopsy, @Blossom1961 xx.  Big hugs coming your way xx  Can you send them your original surgery reports/pathology results?  Definitely a weird one!

take care xx