Waiting time for results of sentinal node biopsy

Hi everyone

This week I had a wide local excision and sentinel lymph node surgery to treat a grade 3 invasive cancer in my breast. After the op the nurse told me it would take 8 weeks to hear the results of the node biopsy and also to know whether the margins of the tumour they cut out are clear. This seems to be an extraordinarily long time - reading loads of folks saying they got their results within a couple of weeks of the operation.

I'm obviously desperate to know what stage my cancer is at, whether it has spread and whether I'll need chemotherapy as well as radiotherapy. 

Are these waiting times normal? Is this an issue related to general delays in cancer diagnosis and pathology, or is my health board just really slow?

  • Brie Allen 

    it's the worst time waiting I'm not sure on nhs I went private I waited 2 weeks after my lunpectomy unfortunately for me I had one positive sentil node so had to have another operation removing all lymph nodes a weeks later the results for 2 nd operation were 8 days later all clear finally .

    I hope you are feeling ok after your operation I wish you a speedy recovery 

    love Lara ️

  • I too have just had similar surgery ten days ago. I too realise the waiting time for results varies a lot from what I have read . I was told it would be six weeks for the results but now have an appointment through and it will be 4 and a half weeks wait for me since the op.  They give you a broad number so they prepare you for the wait but hopefully you may get the appointment a bit earlier. The waiting time is hard Hope you are healing well. 

    Beat Wishes 

  • Thank you both. The waiting for results is one of the hardest bits isn't it? I can't stand the not-knowing! 

    I'm healing pretty well from the breast surgery but finding the lymph node incision a bit trickier to deal with. Still hurts a lot, especially after doing the physio exercises. I hope it will settle down with time. Hope you are healing up well too Nims ️

  • Brie Allen 

    Hope you are feeling ok my lovely and hope you don't have to wait much longer for results 

    good luck love Lara ️

  • I agree about the under arm area - it's very sore still for me too. Thought it was just me so am glad that I am not alone on that. Good luck for Friday x

  • Hi 
     

    wanted to update you. I had my results last Monday and got the all clear - clear margins taken and nothing found inthe two lymph nodes that were removed . So relieved. Next for me is radiotherapy and.leterozole for 5 years. Have a bone scan in a couple of weeks booked in . Am still struggling with cording under the arm. Also now fluid on the breast where op was. But they are minor issues - the big news is for me there is an end to this . Of course the uncertainty will always be there and I will have to deal with that. My mum died 10 years after first discovering breast cancer - it went away and then it came back, I have asked to see her medical records to try and find out about the initial cancer.I am sorry to say that whilst I nursed her through the return of the cancer - when she first had it in 2001 I was busy with my her young family and. Living and working 150:miles away.