The following article appeared in The News Herald on Friday, February 8, 2002.

New biopsy procedure to be discussed

The Blue Ridge HealthCare System H.O.P.E. Support Group will feature Dr. William G. Cloud, from Cloud Surgical Solutions, who will discuss sentinel node biopsy.

The group will meet at 6 p.m. Monday in the outpatient surgery lobby of Grace Hospital.

Cloud obtained his medical degree from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville and completed his internship at the University of Mississippi in Jackson.

He then went on to complete his surgical residency at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

Cloud completed his fellowship in surgical research in gastric physiology under Wallace P. Ritchie, executive directory of the American Board of Surgery.

He was also appointed as a clinical instructor in surgery from UNC-Chapel Hill and was awarded Teacher of the Year by Carolinas Medical Center in 1992. Cloud has more than 18 years of experience and is new to the Morganton area.

In his presentation, Cloud will discuss sentinel node biopsy, a new procedure used in the evaluation of breast cancer.

The idea behind sentinel node biopsy is that by looking at the first lymph nodes to receive drainage from breast cancer, doctors may be able to avoid having to remove a large number of lymph nodes.

The advantage to removing only a small number of lymph nodes is that the patient has a reduced risk of experiencing chronic arm swelling and numbness.

This procedure begins with a small injection of blue dye and radioactive tracer material into the breast near the tumor. The surgeon then makes an incision under the arm to locate lymph nodes, which stain blue, and uses a Geiger counter to locate "hot" lymph nodes.

These lymph nodes (usually two to three) are then removed and examined by a pathologist for evidence of breast cancer.

Sentinel node biopsy is being studied by the National Cancer Institute and the American College of Surgeons and may play an important role in the treatment of patients with certain stages of breast cancer.

The Blue Ridge HealthCare System departments of surgery, oncology, radiology and pathology hope to develop an active sentinel node biopsy program so residents in the community will be able to access this new treatment, a news release notes.

The H.O.P.E. Support Group meets the second Monday of the month at 6 p.m. in the outpatient surgery lobby at Grace Hospital.

H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People Endure) is a service provided by the Blue Ridge HealthCare Cancer Centers for patients, their families and friends.

For more information, contact Jan Hollar at 580-6703.