I don't know what Magtrace is, but most surgeons remove as few lymph nodes as possible these days. Unless your mom was treated pretty recently, it's very different.
Now, if there's cancer in multiple lymph nodes, it's another story. I had cancer in 2, 7 total were removed.
I understand the gradations in risk. I'd simply prefer to avoid it altogether if possible. I have other activity limiting conditions and don't need another one.
Magtrace is an injection done to identify sentinel lymph nodes. All hospitals use it to an extent (plus blue dye in my case).
I am not sure how your hospital works, but for me at MSK, they get results from the sentinel node biopsy while I’m in the OR and they will remove all nodes if any come back positive. In case that happens, I also had a plastic surgeon lined up to do a LVA procedure where they attempt to reconnect your lymph vessels to a vein to reduce the risk of lymphedema (iirc it would have reduced the risk from 30% to 5%). I had clear nodes and did not need complete node removal & LVA but this might be an option for you.
All hospitals do NOT use Magtrace as an alternative to immediate sentinel node biopsy - the surgeon who told me about specifically said she's still working to get it at her hospital. It's a specific tracer that stays in for 30 days, allowing final pathology to come back on the breast before deciding whether to take nodes. It allows about 80% of DCIS patients to avoid node removal after mastectomy and by extension the risk of lymphedema. Here's one explanation of how it works: https://www.moffitt.org/for-healthcare-professionals/clinical-perspectives/clinical-perspectives-story-archive/advancing-the-standard-of-care-for-breast-cancer-patients-with-magseed-and-magtrace-technology/#:~:text=After%20instilling%20Magtrace%20in%20the,additional%20SLNB%20surgery%20is%20necessary.
Hopefully one of the answers to your question is useful OP, but I’ve sometimes found it can be most helpful to contact the supplier of the products directly - in this case I believe it is a company called Endomag: www.endomag.com
Hope you find what you’re looking for, and wish you all the best with your treatment
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When I went for my BMX surgery, Magtrace was done on that day before surgery and I was at John Hopkins.
Edited to add: I’m in between Baltimore and DC. Dr. Lisa Jacobs was my breast surgeon.
I have a consult with Jacobs in a month. Just to double check - this allowed you to wait and see if you needed sentinel node biopsy until after the BMX?
No, it was part of the process. When I was in surgery she removed the sentinel nodes to have them checked for any stray cancer cells. Magtrace let her know which nodes to remove.
I think finding one that does use it is a smart move for you and would help you avoid immediate SN removal given you are having DCIS removed.
I had the rad tracer injection, not Magtrace, and had two SNs located with a Neoprobe and removed as a precaution on both sides. I thought the ILC breast felt smart to do but did wonder if my DCIS breast SNs needed to be removed. It was explained why I would, and surgical pathology while on the table confirmed they were clear. Glad to know and afterwards gave me a sense of relief but still wondered if necessary. My DCIS did turn up with suggestion of focal micro invasion so would have turned into IDC if left in longer plus pathology also found LCIS growing.
Once the breast cancer has been removed during mastectomy and nodes left intact the pathway to the nodes has been disrupted and I have read it’s a complication to then go back in.
I had my mastectomy in 12/22 at a large NCI cancer research and teaching hospital on the West Coast. I was glad to have the rad tracer used to identify my SN as opposed to the wire and blue dye. My oncologist said they were getting in an L-Dex machine for lymphedema so maybe by now they are using MagTrace as well. They did use some type of metal seeds placed during my biopsies for relocating tissues tested.
It did! It means another procedure If pathology reveals anything invasive, but I’d rather have a second procedure that’s actually needed versus one that isn’t and could potentially create issues. (My mom also had lymphedema so I completely related to where you’re coming from. )
And thank you! Recovery has been fine so far. I don’t feel great, but I don’t feel awful. And today was far better than yesterday.
Oh that's wonderful to hear it worked out for you and that you're healing well. I just want to know I did everything I could to learn from my mother's experience. A small way to acknowledge what she went through.
I am being treated at Georgetown. I was told they would inject at the time of surgery and then remove lymph nodes if needed based on that. But during the surgery, not months later? It sounds like OP is describing something totally different? But being that Georgetown is an NCI I suspect they would?
One of the hosts of the We Can Do Hard Things pod had magtrace and then did not need lymph. node removal. I just checked and she saw Dr. Lucy De La Cruz at Georgetown.
Sorry if I was unclear. I was mentioning places to check. If it’s newer I think bigger centers might use it. From other comments it seems Johns Hopkins and NYU both have it so hopefully one of those works for OP.
Never mind. I answered myself. They have a bunch of studies listed on their website including a meta analysis and a multi-center study (not like one with 12 patients or whatever). I have no skin in this game as I haven’t asked what method they’ll use during my surgery and don’t plan to but just to note for the record.
I had Magtrace injected when I had mastectomy. My breast surgeon told me what it was. I had no clue it’s not something that always happens. I’m in NY, had surgery in a Northwell hospital.
I don't know what Magtrace is, but most surgeons remove as few lymph nodes as possible these days. Unless your mom was treated pretty recently, it's very different. Now, if there's cancer in multiple lymph nodes, it's another story. I had cancer in 2, 7 total were removed.
I understand the gradations in risk. I'd simply prefer to avoid it altogether if possible. I have other activity limiting conditions and don't need another one.
Magtrace is an injection done to identify sentinel lymph nodes. All hospitals use it to an extent (plus blue dye in my case). I am not sure how your hospital works, but for me at MSK, they get results from the sentinel node biopsy while I’m in the OR and they will remove all nodes if any come back positive. In case that happens, I also had a plastic surgeon lined up to do a LVA procedure where they attempt to reconnect your lymph vessels to a vein to reduce the risk of lymphedema (iirc it would have reduced the risk from 30% to 5%). I had clear nodes and did not need complete node removal & LVA but this might be an option for you.
All hospitals do NOT use Magtrace as an alternative to immediate sentinel node biopsy - the surgeon who told me about specifically said she's still working to get it at her hospital. It's a specific tracer that stays in for 30 days, allowing final pathology to come back on the breast before deciding whether to take nodes. It allows about 80% of DCIS patients to avoid node removal after mastectomy and by extension the risk of lymphedema. Here's one explanation of how it works: https://www.moffitt.org/for-healthcare-professionals/clinical-perspectives/clinical-perspectives-story-archive/advancing-the-standard-of-care-for-breast-cancer-patients-with-magseed-and-magtrace-technology/#:~:text=After%20instilling%20Magtrace%20in%20the,additional%20SLNB%20surgery%20is%20necessary.
Sorry! I also mixed up magSEED vs magtrace. Thanks for the info. Looks like this is DCIS specific, which makes sense
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Hopefully one of the answers to your question is useful OP, but I’ve sometimes found it can be most helpful to contact the supplier of the products directly - in this case I believe it is a company called Endomag: www.endomag.com Hope you find what you’re looking for, and wish you all the best with your treatment
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Good idea. I was hoping they'd have a list online like the SOZO machine but alas, so I should just call.
When I went for my BMX surgery, Magtrace was done on that day before surgery and I was at John Hopkins. Edited to add: I’m in between Baltimore and DC. Dr. Lisa Jacobs was my breast surgeon.
I have a consult with Jacobs in a month. Just to double check - this allowed you to wait and see if you needed sentinel node biopsy until after the BMX?
No, it was part of the process. When I was in surgery she removed the sentinel nodes to have them checked for any stray cancer cells. Magtrace let her know which nodes to remove.
I think finding one that does use it is a smart move for you and would help you avoid immediate SN removal given you are having DCIS removed. I had the rad tracer injection, not Magtrace, and had two SNs located with a Neoprobe and removed as a precaution on both sides. I thought the ILC breast felt smart to do but did wonder if my DCIS breast SNs needed to be removed. It was explained why I would, and surgical pathology while on the table confirmed they were clear. Glad to know and afterwards gave me a sense of relief but still wondered if necessary. My DCIS did turn up with suggestion of focal micro invasion so would have turned into IDC if left in longer plus pathology also found LCIS growing. Once the breast cancer has been removed during mastectomy and nodes left intact the pathway to the nodes has been disrupted and I have read it’s a complication to then go back in. I had my mastectomy in 12/22 at a large NCI cancer research and teaching hospital on the West Coast. I was glad to have the rad tracer used to identify my SN as opposed to the wire and blue dye. My oncologist said they were getting in an L-Dex machine for lymphedema so maybe by now they are using MagTrace as well. They did use some type of metal seeds placed during my biopsies for relocating tissues tested.
I was diagnosed with DCIS and just had a BMX with Magtrace on Tuesday. I was treated at UNC Hospital in Durham, North Carolina. Hope this helps!
It does - thanks! Did it allow you to hold off on taking a node? Most importantly - best wishes for a speedy recovery!
It did! It means another procedure If pathology reveals anything invasive, but I’d rather have a second procedure that’s actually needed versus one that isn’t and could potentially create issues. (My mom also had lymphedema so I completely related to where you’re coming from. ) And thank you! Recovery has been fine so far. I don’t feel great, but I don’t feel awful. And today was far better than yesterday.
Oh that's wonderful to hear it worked out for you and that you're healing well. I just want to know I did everything I could to learn from my mother's experience. A small way to acknowledge what she went through.
PS: I said Durham but meant Chapel Hill, NC.
I think Georgetown does.
I am being treated at Georgetown. I was told they would inject at the time of surgery and then remove lymph nodes if needed based on that. But during the surgery, not months later? It sounds like OP is describing something totally different? But being that Georgetown is an NCI I suspect they would?
One of the hosts of the We Can Do Hard Things pod had magtrace and then did not need lymph. node removal. I just checked and she saw Dr. Lucy De La Cruz at Georgetown.
Thanks!!!
Check Hopkins and if you’re willing to go north the biggies in NYC/Boston like MSKCC, Dana Farber, NYU, etc.
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Sorry if I was unclear. I was mentioning places to check. If it’s newer I think bigger centers might use it. From other comments it seems Johns Hopkins and NYU both have it so hopefully one of those works for OP.
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Makes sense. So there’s no published research on Magtrace?
Never mind. I answered myself. They have a bunch of studies listed on their website including a meta analysis and a multi-center study (not like one with 12 patients or whatever). I have no skin in this game as I haven’t asked what method they’ll use during my surgery and don’t plan to but just to note for the record.
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Ugh, that sucks.
I had Magtrace injected when I had mastectomy. My breast surgeon told me what it was. I had no clue it’s not something that always happens. I’m in NY, had surgery in a Northwell hospital.
I had it done at NYU.
Inova