Hematoma after biopsy

Wicked

Following suspicious calcifications in my left breast, a core biopsy showed LCIS. They then biopsied the "normal" calcifications on the right and they were also LCIS. The biopsy on the right was 3 weeks ago and I still have a huge hematoma. I'm putting heat on it but it hasn't gone down much. My BS wants to excise the LCIS areas on both sides but this cannot be done until this hematoma goes away. Anybody else had this and how long can it take/will they wait for it to go away?

leaf

I had huge hematomas, both after my core biopsy and after my excision. The radiologist accused me of taking aspirin or NSAIDs, which I hadn't for weeks. My breast turned all sorts of autumnal colors-purple, black, green, yellow. My biopsies and excisions were in the top half of my breast, but the coloration spread all over. That's because I spend a large part of my day standing, as most people do, and gravity pulls the blood downwards.

It looked really awful, and took months and months to go away for me, maybe 6 months. Luckily, I have never worked as a topless dancer. I think the radiologist said he could see it on my mammograms. But I've been fine the last 11 years.

I think it takes time because blood, of course, contains hemoglobin, and its difficult for the body to re-absorb iron and hemoglobin. It looks awful, but its certainly not the end of the world.

My excision hematoma was much worse than my core biopsy one. I had my core biopsy in early December, and had my excision in late January. I also had hematomas after my subsequent 2 core biopsies. I guess I just bleed rather easily.

Wicked

Thanks for your reply, Leaf. I wouldn't be bothered about it if I didn't need the excisions. I can't schedule them until this goes away.

Anonymous

wicked----try ice packs, that may help, 20-30 mins on, at least a few times a day, more if you can manage it. (heat actually makes it swell more, ice reduces the swelling and the hematoma). I was diagnosed with LCIS in 2003 and my risk is further elevated by family history of ILC (my mom), I had lumpectomy, took tamoxifen for 5 years, have now taken evista about 7 years, and continue with high risk surveillance of alternating mammos and MRIs every 6 months. Fortunately, no further biopsies have been needed and I have tolerated both meds well overall. With LCIS, there is no rush since it is non-invasive. Praying the hematomas resolve soon and you get good benign results from your excisional biopsies.

Anne

Wicked

Thanks, Anne. I was told to do heat 3-4 times a day and I have been. It feels so good! This hematoma is very large and uncomfortable, but it doesn't really hurt. It's frustrating to not be able to move forward with the excisions. Just want to know that LCIS is all there is and nothing else is lurking!

leaf

Of course! When I looked at studies some years ago, about 20% of women with LCIS on core biopsy were 'upgraded' to DCIS or invasive when they were excised. Those are pretty good odds. I know there are lots of 'what if....s'.

Another thing on the good side is that breast cancer usually grows slowly. Usually it takes some 5-10 years for breast cancer to be detected by _any_ means. I know waiting is awful no matter what.

I think the reason why they want the hematoma to resolve before doing excision is because when they do the excision, they visually look in the surrounding tissue to see if there is abnormal tissue (like pulling) which might be an indicator for invasive lobular. I think they did see blood in the sample they did examine during my excision. (Of course they'd see blood on the outside because they're cutting blood vessels.)

Best wishes to you as you go through this.