follow up with surgeon and biopsy results after lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy

Hello Mel,

Thanks for getting in touch. My name is Helen, I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurses on the Macmillan Support Line. Welcome to the online community.

I was sorry to read that you have not heard anything from your breast care team since your surgery. Generally a call is set up after the surgery to discuss the wound and any concerns you might have with it. This would be carried out with your breast care nurse – quite likely over the phone. A breast care nurse is a specialist cancer nurse who is a core member of your multidisciplinary team – they are sometimes called specialist nurses or key workers.  

During that call there would be a discussion about results and when to expect information about these. The results appointment is often a face to face appointment with the surgeon - and the breast care nurse tries to be present. Generally that appointment would be around about three weeks after the surgery.

The results discussed will include information on the success of the surgery, that means a discussion on whether the cancer has been entirely removed and information about the sentinel lymph node biopsy. In addition, further treatment would also be discussed – for example radiotherapy.

It is perfectly appropriate to call your team, Mel – you aren’t being a bother. You need to know what you are having to organise for work, aside from needing to know the results of the surgery.

Have a look through the information you were given at the time of your diagnosis to see if you have the name of your breast care nurse and give them a call. If you don’t have a card with the breast care nurse team’s direct line, simply call your hospital switchboard and ask to be put through to their office.

It is likely you will have to leave a voicemail, so do make sure you leave a contact number for them to get back to you – and your availability. If you feel anxious about doing this, you can say that Macmillan Cancer Support has advised you to make contact.

You might like to know about a service called Someone Like Me, to access some peer support for yourself, as well as Macmillan Cancer Support’s emotional well-being support.  

I hope this information is useful. Please don’t hesitate to get back in contact by email, webchat or phone, if you need further information or support.

The Macmillan Support Line offers practical, clinical, financial and emotional support. You can call us free from landlines and from most mobile phone networks* on 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week, 8am – 8pm.

Best wishes, Helen

Cancer Information Nurse Specialist 

Ref: HM/AMc