Are you suffering from breast cancer? Know the benefits of lymph node surgery from the best surgical oncologist in Kolkata.
Lymph node surgery for breast cancer
Lymph node surgery serves as a critical component in the comprehensive treatment of breast cancer. It is essential to understand the role of the nearby lymph nodes when malignancy is detected in the breast. This helps in determining the course of treatment along with the staging of the disease. Hence, lymph node surgery has a crucial part in managing and assessing breast cancer. Know more about the procedure and its benefits from the best surgical oncologist in Kolkata.
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
In this procedure, the doctor identifies and removes the sentinel lymph nodes, which are some of the first few lymph nodes in which the tumour drains. The sentinel nodes are detected through a radioactive tracer or dye that gets injected near the tumour, allowing surgeons to remove or locate the nodes for further examination.
The purpose of this procedure is to minimize the complications associated with the disease while assessing accurately whether cancer has spread beyond the breast. If cancer cells are not present in the sentinel nodes, it indicates a lower risk of cancer spread.
Axillary Lymph Node Dissection
When sentinel nodes have cancer cells or in those cases where comprehensive evaluation is required, an axillary lymph node dissection might be recommended. The procedure removes a greater number of lymph nodes from one’s armpit to allow the detailed examination of cancerous cells.
While Axillary Lymph Node Dissection offers a thorough assessment, it can result in lymphedema or swelling caused by the buildup of fluid, sensory changes in the arm and decreased mobility. Due to these potential complications, Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy is usually the most preferred method to determine the involvement of the lymph nodes.
How does lymph node surgery help in breast cancer treatment?
An oncologist determines the staging of breast cancer along with the need for other treatments. This helps doctors to create an individualized treatment plan for each patient following the procedure.
For example, if cancer is detected in lymph nodes, additional treatments might be recommended to target potential cancer cells that have spread. If no cancer cells are detected in the lymph nodes, it eliminates the need for further treatments.
Conclusion
Lymph node surgery, like Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy and Axillary Lymph Node Dissection, is, therefore, integral in the management of breast cancer. Hence, if you suffer from this disease, it’s advisable to consult the best surgical oncologist in Kolkata to determine if you need lymph node surgery.