can you have a recurrence

pkb3937

I know I am being paranoid probably.  I had a mastectomy with immediate silicone reconstruction on April 8 of this year.  Its been a little over 8 weeks now.  About 6 weeks post op I was examining my new breasts when I felt a little pea size lump on the inside (closer to the sternum).  This was on the breast that was removed prophylactically.  My surgeon felt it and did an ultrasound.  He said it was some type of scar tissue.  ( i was so nervous and relieved I forgot exactly what he said).  Now Im second guessing him.  I know I shouldn't.  The surgical pathogy report was clean.  Anyone have an opinion???

AnewBeginning

I do understand your worry because this cancer stuff will be on our minds forever, however I do feel a hard little area where my lumpectomy was too.  I was told the same, scar tissue.  Try not to stress over it and trust your surgeon.  Hope all goes well with you.

hugs to ya!

AJ

VickiSam

Myself,  I feel that I will have the urgency to freak out anytime I feel or see a lump/bump.  Just a side effort of having breast cancer.

I worry, but I also try to live my life -- it takes time. 

Gentle Hugs,

Vicki Sam

cinnamonsmiles

I had a BMX Jan. 2011. I think maybe it was March or early April that I found a pea sized lump above my mastectomy scar. I talked to my surgeon about it and she told me that she figured it was scar tissue as well. If I was bothered enough by it we would do more investigating. I said no. She did tell me to keep an eye on it and to call her if it got any bigger or caused more pain. Since I used to have breast tissue there, for all I know it is just a natural lump I could have had before the cancer, who knows. I still freak my own mind out sometimes and worry what I think is needlessly for myself, but I still do it.

elimar86861

I can only offer this information to you...If you are feeling a tiny hard lump or several so soon after your surgeries, you may just be feeling some of the "disolving" stitches that did not disolve all the way, but instead become "encapsulated" by scar tissue healing around them.  That usually goes away after a time, and massaging the area can speed up the process.

That being said, don't ever feel paranoid in bring a lump to the docs attention.  Also, get to know your "normal" lumps, so you can detect anything new that might not be.

agada

I was told that the only way I would know my cancer came back was from feeling pain.  I am lumpy and bumpy still from the surgeries and the implants so cannot tell a real lump from a fake one.  Is this true?  I will feel only pain if the DCIS comes back? Or another type of cancer?

Agada

Beesie

Agada, that's interesting. I never heard that about feeling pain. My surgeon told me that the first sign of a local recurrence on my mastectomy/implant reconstruction side would be the appearance of a nodule or a lump - he didn't say anything about pain. He did explain that because there is no breast tissue in which to hide, and because the chest muscle is pushed right up against the skin (with the implant behind the muscle), if a lump were to develop, it would be visible very quickly and while it's still very small.  That's one advantage of having implant reconstruction.   

I'm with elimar on this.  If a lump develops shortly after surgery, it's probably scar tissue or a stitch that's dissolving.  But never feel bad about going to your doctor to get it checked out - better safe than sorry!  

pkb3937

Thanks everyone... I am feeling less anxious about it on most days.  I still have my moments though!  LOL  But I am going to trust my doctor. 

agada

I wonder why he said I would feel pain then?  So, at least I will see something on my breast to give me an idea that there is something wrong.  At least I see another oncologist this Thursday.  I will see what she says on that matter.  Thank - you for pointing that out to me.

Agada