Can BC come back after mastectomy?

KBeee

if the cells are atypical, they will likely want to remove them before they try to become cancer. Sounds like you caught it in time, but sorry you are dealing with this

Unbreakable01

Amo4 my results came back like yours, atypical cells. Surgeon wants me to have an mri, scheduled for next Fri, see her, then go back to surgery to remove it. I too have a silicone implant.

Hopefully it doesn't affect the shape too much, but I'd rather it be gone. I find I get anesthesia amnesia. I'm more forgetful than before.

Let us know what your surgeon says

AMO4

Unbreakable, thank you for telling me this. I see my surgeon today, I will let you know what he says. I am wanting these other lumps out too.

AMO4

Well I have good news. I just talked to the doctor and saw the report from Mayo and the cells were not considered atypical after all. The nurse used that term to me but the doc showed me the report and that term is not used at all. It's just weird cells, I guess fat cells that died. I am so thankful to get through this with good news in the end. They are going to keep close tabs on me though, I still see my oncologist every 6 months and my surgeon wants to see me again in six months also.

barbe1958

AMO that is WONDERFUL news!! Thanks for letting us know, it's good to hear the good news!

KBeee

sounds like fat necrosis! Good news!!

OceanSky

Hi there,

I had a BMX and implants a year and a half ago and found a small lump. It's like a tiny BB. It's not near an incision. It's near where the largest tumor was but a few inches away under the skin and over the implant.

I'm scheduled for an ultrasound and biopsy tomorrow.

If this is BC, does it mean it's metastized?

How common is fat necrosis?

Thank you to anyone who might be able to shed light...

Best,

Oceansky

KBeee

Oveansky, hopefully it is benign. Fat necrosis is common. If it is cancer, it would be considered a local recurrence, not metastatic, as lng as it is nowhere else. Glad you are getting it checked. Keep us posted.

OceanSky

Thank you Kbee,

This 'thing' started about a month ago...Not sure exactly. It hurt and I looked at it in the mirror and it was red. I thought it must be a mosquito bite because it was red and stung a little. Right now it feels like a small hard BB just under my skin.

My ultrasound is not until Wednesday.

Am followed by a major cancer center and the breast ultrasound tech manager called me today to tell me not to take aspirin or wear anti-perspirant for the ultrasound and she was very fluent with her instructions. I was listening carefully. I caught that she used the words 'fat necrosis' in a long trail of thoughts but after we hung up I realized I'd been so intent on listening I hadn't asked her anything. Probably best to listen.

Anyway, thank you.

I have no idea what this is but it feels like a tiny small and symmetrical lump just underneath my skin in the soft part of my cancer foob. Very near where the largest of the four IDC tumors were.

I had a very good (low) Oncotype score but was not able to tolerate Tamoxifen or any AI. My Oncotype score almost quadrupled after it was determined I couldn't take Tamoxifen or AI"s. (Oncotype scores assume you'll tolerate and take Tamoxifen.)

It's a sincere concern because I have pressing auto-immune and immunlogical issues. Ironically, they're the issues I'm coping with daily. I think of BC as being 'over'.

Thanks again Kbee,

Best,

Oceansky

barbe1958

Oceansky, fat necrosis and undissolved stitches that get infected are pretty common. I had a number of them taken out when they appeared because we all know the best lump is a lump in a jar. Keep us posted, sweetie, you are not alone.

OceanSky

^{Had my sonogram and biopsy today. The doctor took four biopsies. This actually hurt more than the core biopsy of my largest tumor before my mastectomy. It's odd. The sound of each biopsy is LOUD. Really surprised me, as I hadn't expected it. Almost sounded like a gun going off each time.}

The doctor said often times these small lumps are fat necrosis, which I'd already learned here, but he was nice enough.

They should have the results Friday.

Thanks for the info and well wishes.

OceanSky

Got the call today that my lump is cancer. The same IDC I had a year and a half ago. They're going to my insurance for PET and CT scan approval, and then to the BS and PS.

Not what I was expecting.

barbe1958

Hugs, sweetie.....please keep us posted on what the plan is.

ElaineTherese

Ugh, OceanSky!

Sorry to hear your news. Hopefully, it's just localized, and you can get rid of it ASAP.

((HUGS))

Meow13

in the same boat as you guys. I will know by Wednesday

treelilac

Good luck, Meow!!!!

KBeee

ocean Sky, I am so sorry you are having to go through this again. Hoping the recurrence is localized and that you have a plan in place soon. I think the first few weeks of rediagnosis are the hardest. (Hugs)

OceanSky

Thank you Kbeee for your kind thoughts. Am very appreciative.

Have some questions I hope someone might be able to answer.

Is there a % rate for how often this happens 2 and a half years after the original BMX for IDC? (I had it in my mind that it was 1.5 years, buts it's 2.5)

Did my BS make a mistake by not getting it all?

To the point, I had four IDC tumors in my left breast. The largest was a micro measurement under 2 cm.

I tried Tamoxifen, and all three Ai's but was not able to tolerate any due to additional autoimmune and neurologic disease having nothing to do with BC.

My onco score after the surgery was 5. Because I couldn't tolerate the tamoxofen my onco score rose to 18.

Thank you for anyone who can help answer these questions. I realize they may not be 'answerable', but I'm trying to make sense of the two and a half year issue as well as the BS concern.

Best,

OceanSky

Meow13

Hi Ocean, I have been trying to get information as well. Did you have any node involvement the first time? That can make the odds go up. There is always a possibility that cancer cells are in chest wall, or fat and skin.

My oncodx was 34 so my chances may be higher. I saw a calculator on line that has between 8 and 28% based on tumor grade, node involvement and invasion. Other sites say our risk is really small.

http://reference.medscape.com/calculator/breast-ca...

katcar0001

Oceansky. I am truly sorry to hear about your recurrence. I pray that it is localized and you get good results from your scans. My mother had an auto-immune disease--multiple connective tissue disease. Really hard to manage, and I can understand why hormone therapy would be hard on you. Are they going to run another oncotype? There are other such tests that might give you more info? As to why it came back--I am understanding that you had multi-focal disease? Even with a low oncotype, I think that is an independent risk factor, and I don't think surgery is a guarantee for anyone. There is always a risk of some cells left behind. Since you cannot take anti-hormonals, i wonder if there are some alternative natural treatments that would help? I wish I had something more concrete to recommend. I wish you the very best and will be thinking of you.

KBeee

Oceansky, your BS got the whole tumor, but a cell or 2 escaped ... Or a cell or 2 were dragged in initial biopsy.... Can happen lots of ways. They will likely do radiation to get any other errant cells. I hope you have a plan in place soon. It is overwhelming until you do, I remember. (((Hugs)))

OceanSky

Katcar, thank you. Having autoimmune disease with secondary neuro issues and yes, connective tissue disease to boot makes it almost impossible to tolerate any meds. Until I get the scans (Pet and CT) there's not a plan.

MO did say that if the scans are positive they won't even do surgery on the breast lump.

I'll respond to KB next...

OceanSky

Thanks Kbeee, am not sure what you mean by a few cells being dragged in the initial biopsy? Thank you for explaining. As for radiation, they're not saying much yet. Just that they're going to start the approval for PET scan on Monday, and what I already shared. Am just waiting.

Thanks you for the kindness.

Good luck Meow on your results.

Meow13

thinking good thoughts for you oceansky

barbe1958

Ocean, sometimes during a needle biopsy, when the needle comes out of the tumour it drags - or "seeds" - into the surrounding tissue. That's what kbee meant.

Why wouldn't they take out the tumour? They did with mine. No point in leaving it in there....that's old-school thinking. I'd get a second opinion if that's what they say. As for rads, if you didn't have them the first time, they should recommend them now as you don't know if there is another tumour growing somewhere else in your breast.

Good luck sweetie, and keep us posted.

Unbreakable01

I met with the oncologist Friday and pathology shows it was a cyst filled with mucous. Yay, no cancer. I'm going to get monitored every 3 instead of 6 months. My original cancer was mucinous carcinoma so the mucous part in the cyst is odd.

I see my surgeon tues and will see if she has additional insights. I will ask about the first pathology report showing atypical cells and then the second just a cyst.

barbe1958

So very happy for you!!! Good to hear good news - thanks for letting us know.

Meow13

Good news

KBeee

Hreat news! Glad they are watching you more closely now

Unbreakable01

Kb I met with my surgeon today and she suggested radiation. Its interesting having different opinions from your doctor's.

My original cancer was close to the chest wall. She had recommended radiation back then, but my previous oncologist said it wasn't needed.

The pathology says the presence of mucinous carcinoma cannot be totally excluded. Its not cancer, but they can't fully exclude it, so weird.

She's meeting with the tumor board to discuss my case and will discuss with my oncologist.