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Nerve pain You may have numbness or tingling in your upper arm, particularly if you had your lymph nodes removed. This is normal and happens because some nerves are cut during the operation and need to repair themselves. It can take a few weeks or months to go. If it continues, get in touch with your breast care nurse or surgeon. http://cancerhelp.cancerresearchuk.org/type/breastcancer/treatment/surgery/after-your-breast-cancer-operation 2. Radiation therapy given to the axillary lymph nodes can increase the risk of patients developing arm swelling ("lymphedema") following axillary (armpit) dissection. Radiation to this area can cause numbness, tingling or even pain and loss of strength in the hand and arm years after treatment. Fortunately, both these treatment effects are very rare. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=breastcancer 3. Lumpectomy with needle-localization for non-palpable lumpsIf your surgeon cannot feel the lump to be removed, the radiologist will be asked to insert a guide wire into your breast prior to surgery to pinpoint the area of concern. If you require this procedure, on the day of your surgery you will begin your day in the radiology department. The radiologist or breast surgeon will then use mammography or ultrasound to insert a thin wire to be left in place for surgery as a guide for your surgeon to locate the area of the abnormality. The wire is then covered with a dressing to hold it in place. The average time for this procedure is 30-50 minutes. You are then taken to the operating room where you will receive a local anesthetic to numb your breast, as well as general anesthesia to make you sleep through the procedure. The surgeon uses the wire as a guide to locate the lump. http://www.advancedbreastcare.net/lumpectomy.htm