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Lymphedema risk, healing time with sentinel biopsy?

Page last modified on: August 20, 2008

Question from Lils: After having a lymph node removed, how long of a time does it take for the soreness to completely go away? Are cancer survivors who had a sentinel node biopsy susceptible to lymphedema?: Answers —Kristin Brill, M.D., F.A.C.S.: There will be swelling and lumpiness at the incision site at least for several weeks and into several months. Eventually, the swelling will go down and there will always be a little bit of tenderness at the scar tissue.; Linda Miller, P.T.: Women who have had sentinel node biopsy are at less risk to get lymphedema; it's about 10% to12% of incidents at this point. We do recommend that if you have sentinel node dissection that you still follow the lymphedema precaution list.

On Wednesday, May 21, 2008, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called After Surgery: Short-term and Long-term Effects. Kristin Brill, M.D., F.A.C.S. and Linda Miller, P.T. answered your questions about short-term and long-term side effects of breast surgery, and what you can do about them.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of Breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Kristin Brill, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a breast surgeon and clinical instructor at the Thomas Jefferson University Department of Surgery in Philadelphia, PA. She also maintains a practice in Cherry Hill, N.J. Dr. Brill is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. In addition, she has published breast cancer research in medical journals such as Annals of Plastic Surgery and Cancer, and she has presented research at the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Linda Miller, P.T. is the clinical director of the Breast Cancer Physical Therapy Center, LTD, a private practice serving the Philadelphia, PA and southern New Jersey areas. Linda specializes in treating post-operative complications of breast cancer surgery, including lymphedema.