So LONG

[rousson]

I guess everything takes time, I had a bilateral mastectomy on the 21st of May. The surgeon removed two lymph nodes on the left used the procedure sentinal node mapping. On the right took one lymph node. My first biopsy report before surgery said dcis all the surgeon told me on my check-up two weeks later was it is invasive and my pathology report is not back. It know has been 18 days and nothing. Does it take that long to find out if lymph node involvement. Very worried with the wait.

[japdip]

Using my case as an example; one Path report was at the Surgeon's office within a week but some tissue was sent to a Lab in CA and that report came quite a bit later. It does take time for the formal, final report to get on your chart though. Examination of tissue, dictation of the report, typing of the report which will be reviewed and signed as FINAL. I would call every few days (the surgeon's office) to check. They may just wait until your next appointment to explain it all to you. My surgeon read mine to me (word by word) explaining all along the way. It isn't something that should be just handed to you .... pt.s rarely understand the terminology used.

[BJSaws]

     When I had my mastectomy, a preliminary pathology report was done on the sentinel nodes as the surgery was being performed.  That allowed the surgeon to determine if he should remove more lymph nodes during the surgery.  My sentinel nodes were clear, so no additional nodes were removed.  There should have been a preliminary sentinel node pathology done during your surgery.  That report should have been available during the surgery.  That is the whole purpose of sentinel node biopsies.
     My final pathology report on the breast and the sentinel nodes was given to me at my 2 week follow-up with the surgeon.  He gave me a copy of the report and it was actually dated two days after my surgery.  So, my guess is, someone has your pathology report, but you haven't received it yet.  I would call and insist on some information.  The waiting is the hard part.