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OK to remove fewer lymph nodes, breast cancer study finds
Mastectomy patients need not lose all their nearby lymph nodes, a new study suggests.
February 9th, 2011
12:30 PM ET

OK to remove fewer lymph nodes, breast cancer study finds

Breast cancer affects one out of every eight women in the United States. If it hasn't touched your family or friends, it could. This morning, there's new information that many of the women affected might not have needed painful, unnecessary surgery to remove the entirety of a patient's lymph nodes.

American Morning's Kiran Chetry spoke with Dr. Monica Morrow, a surgical oncologist with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the author of this new study in the "Journal of the American Medical Association." Morrow explains why this is good news for women.

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Filed under: Health • TV-American Morning
soundoff (5 Responses)
  1. mskccethicsandsafetyconcerns

    As is unfortunately often the case: FOLLOW THE MONEY ...

    “Sloan is pursuing a systemic approach to reducing expenses and increasing revenues […] One example of this is discouraging terminally ill patients from seeking initial treatment or second opinions from the cancer center […] the admission of such patients is counterproductive […] to Sloan Kettering.” [paraphrasing salient features, MSKCC, CFO/Chief Financial Officer];

    http://www.mskccethicsandsafetyconcerns.wordpress.com; http://www.concerns-at-sloankettering.blogspot.com

    February 9, 2011 at 3:00 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Julie Chandler

    Those of us who have had lymph nodes which are "too many to count" and had them removed might just disagree with this study. If I had left my cancerous lymph nodes intact and not had my surgeon search for any other cancerous nodes, I probably would be dead by now. It turns out I had 4 of 6 nodes that were positive above my clavical. Without nodes removed and pathology done, the cancer would have spread to my brain. Let's not make such a blanket statement, please. It is important to remember that each cancer is unique, as is each woman who fights it. Lymphodema is an uncomfortable side effect, but compared to being dead...it is not so bad!!!

    February 9, 2011 at 10:51 pm | Report abuse |
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    February 9, 2011 at 11:19 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Lymphoma

    It's unacceptable to discourage someone that is suffering a terminal illness to stop seeking medical attention. There is nothing wrong to that as long as you have the means . Like my friend suffering from lymphoma ,her hope was lost when doctor said that she has already 7 remaining months to live but I encourage her to be strong and have faith .A miracle happen so she continue her treatment although she knew the doctor's answer. symptomsoflymphomas

    November 2, 2011 at 4:34 am | Report abuse |
  5. aline da costa

    estou com linfonodos axilares e estou apavarada sera um cancer?tenho 22 anos e sinto muita dor oq vai acontece comigo

    December 11, 2011 at 8:35 pm | Report abuse |
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