mediastinoscopy question on lymph nodes - 1254144

mickey61
Posts:26

Dr West, question please, we obviously have lymph nodes on both sides of the lungs, if they take them all out, does it effect your immune system in your lungs (ie, getting infectons etc). I guess they don't grow back and if they take them out and any are positive am I correct in understanding it has travel somewhere else and should they be doing more testing, such as bone scans etc.

I assume looking ahead of this procedure just in case, I should be asking for mutation testing? as I have been reading.

Thank you as always
Mickey

Forums

Dr West
Posts: 4735

No, they don't take all of them out, and there's no evidence and no real concern that this kind of procedure leads to worse immune function.

At this time, there's no evidence that we should be doing molecular marker studies on people who don't have advanced (metastatic) non-small cell lung cancer. Whether to even send for this information is debatable, and later today I'll be posting a video by an expert about this very question (see the home page later today for video by Dr. Heather Wakelee).

-Dr. West

mickey61
Posts: 26

Dr West you are a true blessing, I bet your patients love you! I can tell you have kind spirit and we need Drs like you. You always answer my questions. I want to thank you for always answering me. Thanks again Mickey