Cancer - October 2013 Archives

Most patients whose breast cancer has spread to their lymph nodes have most of the lymph nodes in their armpit area removed after chemotherapy to determine if any cancer remains. But a study conducted through the American College of Surgeons Oncology Group and led by Mayo Clinic breast surgeon, Judy Boughey, M.D., shows that a less invasive procedure known as sentinel lymph node surgery successfully identified whether cancer remained in lymph nodes in 91 percent of patients with node-positive breast cancer who received chemotherapy before their surgery. Dr. Boughey says, “Since treatment with chemotherapy before surgery can eliminate cancer in the lymph nodes in some patients, we were interested in evaluating whether sentinel lymph node surgery could successfully identify whether cancer remained in the lymph nodes after chemotherapy. Removing only a few lymph nodes reduces the risk of surgical complications such as numbness and arm swelling.” The findings are published online in The Journal of American Medical Association. Read news release. Journalists: Sound bites with Dr. Boughey and animation are available in the downloads.

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Other than a lump in the breast, are there other symptoms of breast cancer? Is breast pain something to be concerned about? ANSWER: Yes, breast cancer can cause symptoms other than a breast lump. To make it easier to spot changes that could be symptoms, you should be familiar with what your breasts usually look like. If you notice any unusual breast changes, have them examined by your doctor. Breast cancer can lead to a variety of symptoms. The most obvious is a breast lump. But other symptoms include skin changes on your breast, such as redness, dimpling or puckering of the skin. Breast cancer also can cause a skin rash that looks similar to mastitis — an infection of the breast tissue that most often affects women who are breast-feeding.  If you find a new rash or breast redness, and you are not breast-feeding, that should be evaluated by your doctor.