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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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How Can The Stage Of Cancer Be Determined?

how soon will the surgeon know the stage of the cancer after performing a sentinel node biopsy? Is that something that can be done during surgery and how does he know that the margins are clear. Seems to me he should know that before ending the surgery. Thank you!
Mon, 26 Mar 2018
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General & Family Physician,  's  Response
Hello,

The surgeon will take out your sentinel node during surgery and send it to a pathologist for microscopic evaluation. The pathologist will assess if the cancer cells have affected the sentinel node and if margins are clear. The surgeon will not be able to know it by the end of surgery as this cannot be assessed with the naked eye and will have to wait for pathology results.


Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. Lekshmi Rita Venugopal
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How Can The Stage Of Cancer Be Determined?

Hello, The surgeon will take out your sentinel node during surgery and send it to a pathologist for microscopic evaluation. The pathologist will assess if the cancer cells have affected the sentinel node and if margins are clear. The surgeon will not be able to know it by the end of surgery as this cannot be assessed with the naked eye and will have to wait for pathology results. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Regards, Dr. Lekshmi Rita Venugopal