I might have a recurrance....tiny hard nodule

Calico

I have an appointment on Thursday morning to get it checked out....it is so long until then.

Could someone tell me if it always is a recurrance if it is hard? My guess is about 2-3 mm, right below mast scar (this is where my IDC was, under the nipple)...it feals "mean" and I am in pieces.
Reading on Dr. Susan Love's website doesn't help. Mets are suppose to be right behind on the recurrance "shedule"....

I had silicone implants....will it be hard to do a biopsy? Just some Versed or will this be a big surgery?

I had TAC, radiation, hysterctomy and Femara so far, almost 2 yrs out. If it was cancer again, what do you think I have to do?

Any ideas? I'm so rattled, I can't think clear.

God Bless

Anonymous

Calico,
Im sorry you are having this scare....and my prayers and thoughts are with you that it is just a scare and not recurrence.....
I dont have any answers to your questions but wanted you to know your not alone here...
We are all with you and praying for you...
Hugs
Jule

sharebear

Try not to worry. I also have a hard spot. I had bilateral mastectomy with tram flap reconstruction on 3/15. The Dr. thinks its just a fat necrosis. Dead fat! But he did a core biopsy right in his office on Friday just in case and I should know for sure this week. Hopefully that is all yours is.

Good thoughts and prayers.....

Sharon

Calico

Thank you Jule and Sharon

Sharon, did it feel really hard? Fat sounds so....soft...I don't know how to express it. If I wouldn't know otherwise, I'd say it feels like a plastic bead...I was googling silicone implants and leaks, but I have the newer one, gummi bear, so it could not be that...

I am going insane.

I hope and pray that your biopsy comes back clear!!

God Bless

lexi4

Calico,

Praying for scar tissue and no cancer. It's scary. Please know that I am thinking of you.

Love,
Lexi

Anonymous

Hi Calico...I'm so sorry that you have to have this fear, but totally understand. I didn't have a mastectomy, but can tell you that the area below my lumpectomy scar is full of hard, tiny knots. I'm told that this is scar tissue that developed not only from the surgery but from the radiation as well. It seems entirely possible, and even likely, that yours is just that too. Of course, we always need to check these things out and it's too bad that you have to wait these 2 days to get in to see the doctor. And if, by some chance, it is malignant, you'd have it removed and, unfortunately, need to get zapped with yet another chemo cocktail. It would by no means be a death sentence though. But you already know that, right?

Please try to get busy to keep your mind off of it (yeah, easier said than done, I know!). Hang in there....and keep posting. We'll get you through these few days!

Marin

rubytuesday

Calico, I am sorry you are having to go thru this anxiety! Hopefully it is scar tissue. At worst, it would probably be a local recurrence which may be 'fixed' by surgery alone. They would probably change your AI if that were the case. I had a new primary YEARS later which required surgery (mast) and Femara. Do realize that scar tissue in that area is a very real possibility. I hope and pray that is the case. If they do a biopsy, they may just do a FNA which would be an office procedure. Best wishes!

Carmelle

Calico...I had this right below mast scar line and it was actually the little nug from the silicone implant. My skin was so thin it became palpable and even visible. It took a while after my reconstruction before it showed as there is swelling for some time.
My surgeon was going to biopsy until I saw my plastic surgeon and he showed me the implant and placement.
hope it's something like that for you too
Michelle

Calico

Hi gals,
thank you so much for your encouraging words.
I went to the GP for a referral and she said it is movable, under one centimeter (do you know how BIG a centimeter is??), when I asked to specify, she mentioned good guess about 5 mm. She said movable is good but to definately get it checked out and gave me the referral for Thursday, to see the Breast surgeon.

Goleeee....you think I should see the PS instead? I am not sure if I am happy with just a "it's probably okay", I really would love to have it out (to make sure) .

Grrrr...this disease sucks....glad to have your support!!

God Bless

rubytuesday

I agree with Sherri....I would follow-up with the PS no matter what...at least put in a call and let him know what is going on. That way if you need his opinion, he'll be on top of things. Perhaps a MRI would be a good thing??? Just a thought............Best wishes!

Lovin_Life

If it's movable then it is 99.99% not cancer. It is most likely fat necrosis which is rock hard or could be scar tissue.

Do follow up on it. And good for you for finding it!

Calico

Oh man...waiting sucks....still another day...I still don't see the "movable thing"....everything moves around it but not the nodule itself (at least to me....).

I'm ready to use some emla creme and the pearing knife on that thing and cut it out myself....

God Bless

Calico

I'm back from the breast surgeon...

She sides with me on the "not movable" part but thinks it is in the capsule over the implant, not in the muscle or the skin.
She says there is the 1-2 % chance it's cancer (the post mastectomy stats I guess).
I could come back in 3 month or 1 month IF I am a basket case and we see if it grows.
She did not push biopsy and said it would not make a difference (HUH??? on my part)under 2 cm is considered small...well not in my opinion, my 7 mm IDC had invaded one lymph node. Also, in her opinion, MRI would not show and it's to small for a PET.

The risk of puncturing the implant (even though she had not had one), risk of bleading, loosing the implant, infection (it's the rads side)...."just" to find out it is benign...
(I know she is on the cautious side due to a lawsuit last year, which was not her fault but pathologists)...

So...ladies...I don't know what to do....I am so afraid of anesthesia and think if it is benign and I die in surgery, that would suck....loosing the implant....who cares...it's such a poor job anyways......

I want your opinions and guidance and someone to make a decision for me ....(right now it's back in mid September for another check but if I change my opinion over the weekend, we can do it next week)
Thank you for listening...

God Bless

rubytuesday

Calico, I'm still cheering for MRI....did she mention if she thought that might clarify the situation??? Best wishes

Calico

No,
she actually thought nothing would show...which surprised me...I thought it is good at detecting calcifications even..so what's a little nodule then....
I am on the confused couch ever since....thinking.....


God Bless

rubytuesday

Calico, I guess I would want an 'official' measurement...something that could be compared over time...like a MRI or even an ultrasound....not sure if that would work but.....Thinking of you! Best wishes!

Carmelle

Calico,
It's up to you what you do.How will you feel?
I do have hard imovable lump in scar tissue over implant too.(not the previous implant lump but another.
It has been the same for years and even remained after implant exchange.It used to worry me but now it's just a regular small lump and as it does not change does not bother me.
Hugs
Michelle

wallycat

I'm a worrier and if it were me, I would want to know.
If they can feel it, I would ask for a biopsy because even if the MRI lit up an area, you still need a biopsy to determine if the area is cancer, theoretically...though scar tissue and fat necrosis would NOT require a blood supply and so would unlikely light up via MRI.
My cancer too was detected ONLY with the breast MRI as mammo and ultrasound couldn't find it; even AFTER they knew where it was.
You have gone through so much already that you owe yourself assurance this is nothing---especially if you don't mind risking losing the implant.
just my 3cents, but I would want to know.
If it is a recurrence, how would you feel knowing you've waited? If it is not a recurrence, how happy will you be for peace of mind?
Best to you and post back to let us know!

Calico

Thank you all so much for your feed back.

The implant loss possibility doesn't even bother me...geez..I might actually get a nicer one next time (my PS could have done way better if he hadn't put the expander under my collarbone/armpit).

I think I follow your advise and get the MRI, will go through my onc, he should know as well and could give me feed back on waiting a month or not (does it really not make a difference if it is 2 mm or 1 cm or 1.5 cm?).

I am also going for biopsy no matter what...
My daughter starts school next week, so I have a few days anyways where I need to have a buffer to shedule things.

You guys are just awesome, backing up already what I think should happen....MRI should tell...if not, it can give me an assessment on my silicone implants or not? (are we still suppose to get the MRI after one year or is that no obsolete since silicone is not under investigation anymore?).

I hope I can catch some sleep tonight....I am "aging" as we speak I am so stressed over this....

If it is benign I am thinking "hypochondriac"...if it's cancer, I say "I told you so"....

Where is the cure?

God Bless

sharebear

Calico,

I had my core biopsy on Friday and got my results on Wednesday. Nothing but a fat necrosis. Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!
Now three more weeks of taxatere and I'm done!

Hope yours is good news too!

Sharon

rubytuesday

Calico, Keep us posted. I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers! I'm sorry I don't know the answers to your other questions. No matter what, I think the MRI is a good thing. I'm not sure what the recommendations are but I think we should be routinely monitored with MRIs for LOTS of reasons (implants, local recurrences, etc.)! Best wishes!

P.S. Where IS the cure?????????????????????

Calico

Sharebear,
Awesome news....these three weeks go by in no-time (who am I kidding? )...hope you feel okay!!

Calico

I whole heartedly agree with you

yellowfarmhouse

Hi Calico,

I have the same question.... I found two little nodules under R breast ( cancer side). I have breast implants ( saline) . The nodules are tiny-- 1-2mm. I bit darker than surrounding skin. Feels like a grain of sand under skin.

I went to my doctor today and she didn't really know what to make of it. She said if it is cancer, that it would likely open up. She is sending me to dermatologist.

Have you learned anything more?

I'm 2.5 yrs out from stage 3a IDC multifocal, MRM bilateral, TAC dose dense, Herceptin, rads, 4/9 + nodes, ER 3+, PR 1+ HER 2 3+, currently on trial for cancer vaccine in Seattle.

blessings
Wendy

Calico

Hi Wendy,
I am going to see my onc's nurse on Monday and see, what she says....like wait and see is okay or not...but not that I really want to wait either....I just need justification to go under anesthesia and I want an MRI anyway, breast surgeon didn't say it was useful....so I go to the next level and ask for one....

Let me know what the dermatologist says. I would not wait for them to open up....that would mean skin involvement and longer healing I think (if it was cancer).

God Bless

yellowfarmhouse

HI ,

I'll let you know what I find out. I'm not sure what to think. It seems like from what I've read that if it is a recurrance, that finding it sooner rather than later doesn't make much difference? But, my personality is to try to get to the bottom of things quickly. I just like to know .

Best wishes with further testing,
blessings to you too. Feel free to private message anytime too.
Wendy

cayenneblue-2007Jun02

Hi Calico-

Your post made me remember something. I also had a small, hard ,non-movable lump in my scar area, but closer to my underarm, after my mastectomy. I was quite worried about it as well, but all of my doctors agreed that it was actually a knot in the thread from the mastectomy. (guess they tie them into a pretty big knot) I could actually see it through my skin.

Anyway, it finally dissolved, and I haven't thought about it in months!

Hopefully yours will turn out to be something along those lines!!!!

Theresa

Calico

I think I am going "bananas"....

I was watching TV and was on my side checking my nodule and I think there could be two next to each other....but then, maybe not The funny thing is, while it is a numb area, it always was itching inside...I want to scratch and don't know where...

I hope we all check out okay.


God Bless

Calico

Okay,
went to see onc's nurse practiotioner, who said she thinks it might be scar tissue.
Was not sure about MRI so I asked for a referal to the PS, since she suggested he might know better.

She agreed with me that if it was cancer, to not wait until it gets bigger but was not concerned that this is cancer.
My anxiety meter is down somewhat but due to my missed dx on first mammo, I am unsure and insecure about this.

I asked to have my estrogen level tested, she wasn't aware of such a test. Does anybody know?

God Bless

rubytuesday

Calico, Glad that you are able to BREATHE!!!! Sounds good! When do you see the PS?? I had my estrogen tested by my gyno...after I went around with my PCP and oncologist....FINALLY after another round, my gyno did it. Best wishes!

Calico

Is it just the regular estrogen they test for? No special name for the test, right?
I need to wait for the referal to go through and then make an appointment with the PS, my guess is the beginning of next week.

God Bless