Breast cancer study shows changes to lymph nodes could identify who is most at risk of spread

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A study found that the structures of a network that supports the organs could change due to the disease even before doctors are able to spot any cancer cells there.

Some changes were linked to a better chance of survival, while others led to a worse prognosis for the patient.

Researchers said the findings could guide treatment decisions and help more people avoid unnecessary treatment.

In breast cancer, the lymph nodes in the armpit, which play a key role in the immune system, are often the first place the disease spreads to.

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The new research, funded by the charity Breast Cancer Now, could therefore help identify people who are at higher or lower risk of breast cancer spreading.

Dr Simon Vincent, chief scientific officer at Breast Cancer Now, said: "These findings suggest that changes to the structure of the lymph nodes are more than just a consequence of the cancer.

"They can also play an active role in helping breast cancer progress.

"With one person tragically dying from breast cancer every 45 minutes in the UK, we urgently need research like this so that we can better understand who is most at risk of their cancer progressing and becoming incurable.

"Only then we can find ways to stop it. With a better understanding of how lymph nodes change as breast cancer spreads, we could find new targets for future treatments for types of breast cancer that are harder to treat."

Dr Amy Llewellyn and Dr Kalnisha Naidoo from King’s College London, together with Professor Sophie Acton at University College London, studied 331 lymph node samples taken from people with different types of breast cancer and compared them to healthy lymph nodes in people free from the disease.

They looked at a unique group of cells within lymph nodes called fibroblastic reticular cells (FRC).

The FRC network provides the structure for the lymph node, controls fluid flow and activates different immune cells.

The team found that the structure of this FRC network can change even before the breast cancer has spread and the changes were different depending on the type of breast cancer, any spread, and whether someone had received chemotherapy.

In the future, these findings could support new treatments, more tailored care and ensure more people avoid unnecessary side-effects.

Dr Llewellyn said: "Until now we have not fully understood how and when lymph nodes become altered in a way that allows cancer to spread.

"As a result, every breast cancer patient currently must have some of their lymph nodes removed for accurate staging and treatment planning.

"While this is effective, it can lead to long-term complications and may be unnecessary for some patients, particularly those with early-stage disease or those whose cancer responds well to treatment."

Ruth Smith, 59, from Buckinghamshire, was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in January 2023 after discovering a lump in her right breast.

She said: "Going through breast cancer treatment and being told that lymph nodes needed to be removed was daunting, and at the time I just focused on doing whatever was necessary to treat the cancer.

"Living with lymphoedema afterwards has been a constant reminder of what I went through – it developed on my arm like a series of 10p pieces in April 2024.

"The swelling and discomfort can have a real impact on daily life, and it’s something I now have to manage long-term.

"Research like this is so important because it could help doctors better understand who really needs which treatments, and hopefully reduce the number of people who go on to develop lymphoedema in the future.

"The research is published in the Journal of Pathology."