Common Breast Cancer Surgery May Not Help Survival Rate

MIAMI (CBS4) - A new study suggests that a common surgery, performed as part of breast cancer treatment, may not help patient survival rates. It's called complete axillary dissection.

In 2008 when doctors discovered that Shiela Simpson had breast cancer they removed the sentinel node plus many others under her arm.

"If the sentinel node is positive, meaning if there is disease in the sentinel node, then the traditional teaching was to go ahead and take out all the lymph nodes under the arm, to do a full axillary dissection," said oncologist Dr. Talya Schwartzberg.

The surgeon took out 13 of the lymph nodes under her arm.

But removing all those lymph nodes had some negative consequences.

"It's an aching pain that feels like little needles sticking in your skin all the time. And it doesn't go away," explained Simpson.

This actually left her with lymphedema with swelling and pain in her arm. She wears a sleeve most of the time because the pain is uncomfortable for her and somewhat limiting to her lifestyle.

Now, a new study questions whether removing all those extra lymph nodes is helpful.

"There's a recent study that just came out that is in abstract form called the Z11 trial done by surgeons where they've found that doing all of that dissection and taking out all the extra lymph nodes does not actually improve overall survival," Schwartzberg said.

The doctors might get the same result from removing only one or two nodes, without that increased risk of lymphedema.

"Because the study is very thought provoking and makes us think that we should really be doing less. And if it's not going to improve overall survival and there are risks to the procedure it might not be worth doing," added Schwartzberg.

For more information about breast cancer education, diagnosis and treatment, just go to this website, Susan G. Komen for the Cure Miami/Ft. Lauderdale Chapter.