Breast hardening 15 years after radiation

belamom

I write this for my mom who is frightened that her cancer has returned.  Here's the background, she is 68 and was diagnosed with a small malignant lump on the left side of her left breast at 50.  She had the lump and lymphnodes removed and had radiation daily for 6 weeks following.  This was in 1991.  The area has always been hard after the radiation, but she's noticed in the past few months that the hardness has spread into her left breast.  Her mammogram in July 2010 was clean.  I've been reading about fibrosis.  Have any of you experienced this?  She just saw a doctor this morning, who has referred her to the breast center for another mammogram and possibly and MRI and biopsy on Monday.  She is freaking out, as anyone would who has had a prior diagnosis.  Any thoughts?  Thanks ladies.

dlb823

belamom, I don't have any experience with radiation-induced fibrosis, but thought I'd stop to bump your thread so that others will be more likely to see it. 

I can say that having an MRI certainly sounds like the prudent thing to do.  I'm not sure why they'd do a biopsy unless the repeat mammo or MRI shows an area of concern, but it's definitely good that she's getting thoroughly checked, if only for her peace of mind.  Another possibility that crossed my mind is lymphedema, which can appear in the breast (truncal lymphedema), as well as the arm, and sometimes years after surgery.  I have a touch of it in my reconstructed breast, and "hard" is one word I might use to describe what it feels like.

Please keep us posted on what happens next week.  Hopefully whatever it is is totally B9.  Deanna

belamom

Thanks for the bump Deanna,

She is scheduled to have another mammogram on Monday, and an ultrasound as well if they think it's necessary.  I will post results.  There is a radiologist on site to give her results before she leaves the clinic which is a blessing!  Waiting is the worst.

Tina

belamom

My mom has been diagnosed with BC for the second time following a biopsy that confirmed the bad news.  We met with the surgeon who will perform a left side mastectomy on Wednesday the 16th.  He feels good about the prognosis.  She's already been radiated on that side 20 years ago, and that might have helped to keep the cancer contained.  She also had most of the lymph nodes removed on that side.  Can anyone tell me about the radioactive dye that will be used before her surgery next week?

meme31

bump!  Sorry about your moms diagnosis.