Skin Mets

keishi33

I seem to be reading a lot about skin mets.  What does this look like?  I don't want to start freaking out but I have just noticed a place on my elbow that wasn't there before, a small red sploch.  It doesn't hurt or itch or anything......

Shirlann

I have never heard about skin mets from breast cancer.  There is one type, very rare, called Inflammatory Breast Cancer that presents with skin issues, but this is a primary, not a met.

I truly have never heard of a skin met.  Usually BC goes to the bones, liver, lungs or brain.

Of course, go back to your onc and tell him you are worried.  Most oncs are very kind and understanding when you are worried and scared.  Don't suffer when you can find out what is going on.

Gentle hugs, Shirlann (10 years post treatment.)

Kayree

My PS told me that it is possible for the BC to come back on the skin, but I understood that iit would only come back on or around the breast skin.  Not sure exactly what it would look like, but he described it as a very rough patch.   Again, as Shirlann said, it is always best to ask your doctor if you have any concerns.  Wishing you the very best.  Karen

HeatherBLocklear

Hi all,

From what I understand, skin mets are fairly common with Stage IV BC, and not necessarily limited to IBC. Although they most commonly appear on chest or abdomen, they can also pop up on the neck or scalp.

Hugs,

Annie

FloridaLady

I have skin mets that spread from a solid tumor.  I did not get clear margins with original mast.  They usually start in breast area but can go anywhere from there.  I have in on both chest walls, down my right arm and now over my shoulder and down my back that I can see.  You may have additional disease inside your body that you can't see.

Flalady

KPolasek

I have recently noticed an small raised lump like thing just above my wrist on the same side as my lumpectomy/bc.  My primary doc says that it is a lypoma (fat cyst) ..... I see my onc next and will ask him.  So what do skin mets look like? 

I work in a Hospice organization and they talk about patients having skin mets .... but I have never asked them what they looked like when they started.

Blessings,

Kay

ravdeb

If you google skin mets you will find photos of what it looks like. those photos are skin mets that form wround your breast scars from either lumpectomy or mastectomy.

wayover20

I was recently diagnosed with mets to the subcutaneous tissue on my abdomen and my onc called it skin mets. It was "found" during a cat scan and showed up as nodules going across my abdomen, about 7 or 8 total. I could see them and feel them, felt like hard little lumps that had just popped up about a week before the scan. I just thought something had bitten me but they didn't itch nor were they red or any different color than my skin. Just these dang little bumps. My onc. explained that tiny cancer cells traveled thru the tissue and just lodged themselves in my abdomen.



So the largest one (1.4cm) was biopsied and sure enough came back as cancer. Now after only 2 chemo treatments I can't see or feel any of them, I just wish this chest mass would go away too.

FloridaLady

wayover,

What was your chemo treatment?  I also have a rash just above my stomach....scary place isn't it?

Flalady

wayover20

Hi FloridaLady!  My original chemo after the mastectomy back in Jan '07 was a/c then taxol. Finished it all up in 6 months and was in the "clear" for 1 year and 1 month when first reoccurrance of mass to chest coming from the mast incision site area. So then 36 rads later then rescanned which saw the nodule on the sub q abdominal area....biopsy done.  So started on Avastin and Abraxane infusions to go thru March.  I have to say both myself and my  oncologist are really happy how FAST the nodules went away.  I'm not exagerating when I say after the first A/A infusion, about 6 days later I couldn't feel one nodule.  But due to the continued chest mass that is smaller but still there, the chemo will continue as planned.

I had no red rash, no itching, nothing except looked like hard pebbles under the abdomen skin.  But I've read it could look like "grains of rice" or red rash, or bumps of different colors like blueish or red.

Good luck!

Pat