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Neck Dissection Lymph Node Removal/Sampling - Yes or No?
Head & Neck Cancer | Last Active: Feb 20, 2023 | Replies (17)Comment receiving replies
Hi I had a very similar situation to you but my depth of invasion was only 3 mm and still 2 months later my lymph nodes swelled up and instead of doing a selective they did a radical and I had lots of side effects from the neck dissection. My voice was effected from the vagus nerve manipulation. The nerve to my tongue and lip was effected and I had a chyle leak which was a really bad complication as I spent a week in the hospital with that being treated with octreotide. It was a real shock to me. I was feeling the exact way you did trying to avoid the neck dissection. Then I was left scrambling to get it done asap. My surgeon says it goes to the lymph nodes 25 percent of the time regardless. I feel that it is a much better option to get the selective neck dissection then have to get the radical later. If I could have done it all over again I would have opted for the selective neck dissection to try to avoid all that I went through. I did have PNI though and also my cancer was rated at moderately to poorly differentiated I think these things factor in also. Good luck with your decision it is a hard one I know. Now I have radiation did they consider radiation with you ?
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Hello,
I am a medullary thyroid carcinoma patient...metastasis to lymph nodes and lungs. I have had 3 neck disections, the first included removal of my thyroid that contained a tumor, and selective removal of lymph nodes in surrounding area one or two of these additional lymph nodes contained tumors. The second again was a selective removal of certain lymph nodes, and cleanup of scar tissue in thyroid bed....the third was a left sided radical neck disection removing approximately 40 lymph nodes of which about 10 of those contained cancer. I was lucky to have a very good surgeon. Even so, my last and most recent radical neck disection also left me battling some side effects and circumstances. Of these I experienced some temporary loss of nerve and muscle control affecting being able to raise my left arm, some tightening of tendons, muscle spasms, and muscle bunching in neck and shoulders, problems with voice and swallowing, problems turning my head, lymphadema in head neck and upper torso, pressure headaches, blurred vision etc. While dealing with these side effects was pretty daunting, through therapy, and home selfcare some things improved, some things did not. This is one treatment option. This is the option i had available where i was. I had no knowledge of other treatment until coming to Mayo for the first time where my care team did full work up, blood tests and scans and discussed with me additional treatment options, of these was a treatment called ethynol ablasion. A special injection into the lymph node or tumor itself , and discussed targeted therapy for the lungs. They did gnome mapping to determine specific gene mutations. Doing this enables them to design treatment to target these specific genes. I wish i had known of these additional options of treatment available prior to my neck disections. Not only is the treatment of ethynol ablasion less invasive, but less side effects damage, etc. Weighing the fact that treatment is different per each individual, and your care team will be knowledgeable on what is best for you. I found out there is a dramatic difference in cost as well, and may be something to talk to or ask your doctor/oncologist about. My next scans are in April....recent ultra-sounds i had done after swallowing issues show new tumors in lymph nodes...and some advancing in size. I look forward to some other possibilities rather than another neck disection. Best regards in your treatment process.