DESCRIPTION

Dr. Susan K. Boolbol discusses lymph node biopsies on Day 30. After a woman is diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, you need to examine her lymph nodes to see if the cancer traveled to them. This will affect the stage of cancer and the treatment. The lymph nodes are tested after sticking a needle in the breast and then examining them. Enlarged nymph nodes can also be found on mammograms or sonograms. If the cancer is not found before the operation, a sentinel lymph node biopsy is performed to see if they have to be removed. Radiation, chemotherapy and hormone treatment may be other options.