A Seroma that keeps growing 8 months after radiation

Nomadwoman

I had a lumpectomy on the left breast last Oct 2015, radiation was during the month of December. The seroma started in the area of the lumpectomy in January and was drained in early March of this year. A week later it was back to the same size and has steadily been getting bigger. I had a mammo and ultra-sound in June and upon seeing my oncologist today, he said in two months it has grown half again. He is recommending a mastectomy. I will be meeting with my surgeon in 2 weeks to go over the options - are there some questions I should be asking or things to consider? It is really getting uncomfortable and am embarrassed having one side much bigger than the other side. I wear a lot of baggy shirts!

Moderators

Nomadwoman-

Welcome to BCO! We're sorry that you're experiencing this complication. It's very common, but we understand that it is uncomfortable. Some seromas clear up within a month, but others can last up to a year. Obviously, if it's causing you discomfort, you'll want to talk to your surgeon about other options, like a mastectomy in your case. You can read a bit more about it on our main site here: http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/side_effects....

Please keep us posted on how your appointment goes!

The Mods