Knot over mastectomy scar

diannemc1957

Question.. Had a double mastectmony Aug 3, 2018.. a few months ago I notioned a lump above the scar.. I went to see my surgeon...he said "probably an area of fat cells congealing as part of the healing process. This knot usually softens over time, but may linger. He said if it bothers me I can have it removed."..but he really didn't think it was anything...I have not worried about it that much...today went to oncologist and he said the same thing ..we will just watch...I asked him if it was your wife what would you do? He said remove it for" her peace of mind"..but really didn't think it was anything to worry about...he said we can watch it and see in 3 months...what are your thoughts...?? Thanks

2002chickadee

Hi Diannemc,

I have had both a bump that was nothing and a bump that was something post-mastectomy. The bump that was something was my biopsy scar, on my skin, which my breast surgeon said she did not love how it felt at 6-month mastectomy follow up -- to me, it felt like a little mole, so insignificant. Well, she was right, she biopsied it a few months later and it ended up being cancerous and it was removed. I also had a fairly sizeable lump develop inside my breast under my mastectomy scar (the "stick" of the lollipop) after revision surgery (I had a DIEP reconstruction), it went away after a few months and the breast surgeon said it was probably nothing. Admittedly, she didn't put her hands on the second lump I describe, but I think it's a good illustration of how much they know what all these different lumps and bumps mean, and how different our experience of them can be from reality. I trust that my doctors really know appropriate ways to monitor us.

If I was in the situation you describe, I would definitely wait a few more months and see if anything changes in what they recommend or how you feel. But I'm also so tired of treatment after a year of surgery/chemo/surgery/rads/hormone therapy that I'm over anything that's not essential. You may feel like it's worth peace of mind to be cut open.

diannemc1957

2002chickadee Thank you... I am a little worried about the knot.. but think I am going to wait since both Doctor and Surgeon didn't seem to think it was anything to be concerned about..... I have a checkup in 3 months with my surgeon..if it is still there I will probably want to have it removed.. but ifit changes any before I am going to have it removed then for sure....this is just all so scary!!!

2002chickadee

yes, it is all so scary! For me, it’s gotten a little less scary in some ways as I’ve lived with it longer. But I imagine these fears never truly go away. Hang in there

TB90

You have received expert reassurance. But you have been through so much. If you can wait three months and not worry yourself sick, then that is a good plan. But if you will obbsess over this and worry yourself sick and manipulate the knot till it hurts, like the rest of us might, then demand results now. Three months is too long to be worried sick. The Health Care System needs to be forced to become a healthy system. And we need to demand the care, support and reassurance we deserve. You deserve not to worry unnecessary for three months. Take csre

Denise-G

I had a lump under my MX scar about 6 months after surgery. I was going through rads at the time and all my doctors said they thought it was scar tissue and they would watch it.

Well, they watched it for 7 years and finally at a checkup, it seemed to grow so I had mammogram (on FLAT breast - it hurt!) and ultrasound. It was all scar tissue aka fat necrosis thankfully. They said fat necrosis can get larger even years later which mine did.

GOOD LUCk!