Post lumpectomy & rads-new thickening

JennyB100104

Hi All. I had lumpectomies (2 of them since they didn't get clear margins the first time), chemo, and then rads that ended in October of last year. Now, the area of the lumpectomy feels quite thick and round--maybe about 2 cm...kind of like the first lump I found, but bigger. I'm wondering if this is "normal" scar-tissue for radiated lumpectomy sites? if you had a lumpectomy/rads, what did the area feel like several months after rads? 

I'm asking here at the ILC forum because you guys know how different ILC can feel from a regular lump and understand why I'm so nervous about this!

thanks.

toomuch

Jenny - I completed radiation in February and three months later I felt "thickening" in my breast. It was not in the area of my lumpectomy. I had an ultrasound which showed normal breast tissue. Had mammogram and MRI that didn't show anything in the area. The RO thinks that the thickening is from LE. The area arround my lumpectomy scar is out right hard and it became this way very soon after my radiation boosts ended. I'm having a mastectomy this month so will see if the radiologist was right about the thickening. It's all so nerve wracking. If there are changes in your breast follow-up with your breast surgeon and/or RO for an exam. It's my understanding that your breast can continue to change for some time after radiation but you should still have it checked out! I hope that it's just radiation changes.

JennyB100104

Hi toomuch, thanks so much for your response. I hate how radiation makes the tissue so abnormal-feeling! I'm going to wait for my next appt with my onc and talk to her about it then. ARGH!

Good luck with your mast... there are many days I wish I'd had one too.

hugs,

Jenny