Red patch on breast

Mary1977

So I am a a member of the 6 month let’s watch and wait brigade , I currently have BIRADS 3 for left breast. My next u/s should be November . However for about 6 weeks I have a red patch on left breast about size of a Canadian dollar, doesn’t itch not inflamed just there never goes away. My dr is sending me for a mammogram which I am having tomorrow , should I be concerned?

MelissaDallas

I personally would assume a red patch that didn’t change was a fungal or other skin issue. Did your doctor offer any opinion as to what he thought this small red patch might most likely be? Tell you any OTC or prescription meds to try in addition to sending you for a mammogram? Your findings on your last imaging were not particularly concerning. If it were me ,my though would be that a skin lesion that happened to be on my breast was exactly that- just a skin issue. I’d probably try putting some cortisone cream or athletes foot cream on it.

Mary1977

no the dr didn't give an opinion . It's not fungal it's not raised or scaly . Just a red patch , I'd post a pic but think it's against the rules. Like a bruise but pink

MelissaDallas

If yo are worried about IBC, it generally progresses very rapidly, in days, if not hours. The fact it has been stable for six weeks makes it very unlikely that something on your skin has anything to do with any “breast” issue. I can’t imagine having a doctor who would not at least weigh in as to some differential diagnoses or possibilities as to what any small pink patch on my skin could be. Most of mine would have at least told me several things it was most likely to be.

Mary1977

no he didn’t . I’m really not worried as such more curious as to why the mammogram . I should have e asked

MelissaDallas

I personally would have wanted to know why he was sending me for a mammogram for athletes foot or ringworm or eczema and not telling me to try some skin cream or antibiotics first.

Beesie

Is the red patch anywhere near whatever was seen on your last imaging that led to the BIRADs3? What was the reason for the BIRADs3?

If not, I don't know either why your doctor is sending you for a mammogram. I would have been asking for a referral to a dermatologist, since a small stable non-aggressive red mark on the skin is much more likely to be a skin condition than a breast condition.

Assuming the mammo tomorrow is fine, and assuming you don't encounter significant and concerning breast changes,I'd suggest you ask for the dermatologist referral.

Let us know how it goes.

Mary1977

Mary1977

this was last report. I will update for sure

alto

Has your doctor mentioned a skin punch biopsy? That's the best way to figure out if it's a skin issue - and what it is.

I am one of the cautionary tales. I had a red patch on my breast that turned out to be Paget's disease of the breast. They did ultrasounds and mammos first, but those didn't find anything. It took me about 5 years to get a diagnosis - I finally got a dermatologist to do a skin punch biopsy. I didn't realize this was the only way to know.

So I would not hesitate to be persistent and ask questions and even be pesky, if what's going on with your breast does not seem normal to you, and you're not sure what they're looking for. Even if it's not likely to be Paget's, having a big red mark on your skin has a reason, and it's probably good to know what it is.

I hope you get some answers soon!

Mary1977

what was your patch like mine is just like a pink bruise

MinusTwo

Mary - note alto said that her DERMATOLOGIST did a skin punch biopsy. You really to need to go see a skin specialist - aka a Dermatologist.

alto

It was pink (I have pale skin), in the light it had a shiny surface, and it had defined borders. It was not scaly or super red, or any of the more extreme things doctors say it should look like. It was not too bothersome in the first few years, but eventually developed a rather constant pin-prick sensation.

Yes, a dermatologist was the route I should have started with, but I didn't know that and it seems like my doctor didn't either. I thought I was doing the right thing by seeing the breast cancer team she sent me to. Turns out they have a pretty poor record on this kind of thing. I sat in front of doctors, radiologists, NPs who didn't know what they were looking at - even someone on the breast cancer team said, "You'd hardly think it's anything." And at that point it was extensive - inches wide.

Hopefully it's not at all the same thing - odds are good it's not - but I just wanted to share that bit of knowledge, that if you have a weird colored patch they can take a small piece of skin and look at it under a microsope and tell you whether it's cancer or eczema or psoriasis, and better to know so you can treat it correctly. Mammos and other breast diagnostic tests are just not helpful for diagnosing Paget's, and many doctors don't know this. Sigh.

Mary1977

had my mammogram and ultrasound yesterday the sonography said not to worry nothing suspicious. No one seemed concerned about the red patch . I’ll just keep my eye I guess. I’ll update once I receive copy of report. Thank you everyone

Beesie

That's good news, and not unexpected.

Keep in mind that no one is concerned about this from a breast perspective because there is nothing to indicate that this is a breast condition - it is most likely a skin condition. If your breast imaging is clear, a breast imaging facility isn't going to be concerned about a skin condition. So if the red patch doesn't resolve on it's own and you get concerned again, or if you just want to know what it is and do something to get rid of it, see a Dermatologist.

Mary1977

just a quick update , I attended the dr today to get my ultrasound report I saw a dr in emergency as mine was on holiday I’ve seen her plenty before we live in small town . My u/s results were not reported yet although the sonographer already told me nothing suspicious. I showed her the red patch she said it looks “odd” and whilst she said red patches can appear anywhere , it is always concerning when on breast . I have a follow up appointment with the breast surgeon on the 20th (this all originally started with bleeding nipple for other breast which only happened couple of times ) tonight it’s started burning sensation . It’s not spread and from what I’ve read ibc spreads fast (the rash). I know it’s very rare but breast cancer runs in my family my grandma and her sister both had it and my great aunts daughter passed from ovarian cancer . My mum never has had a mammogram in her life !

alto

Thanks for the update, Mary. I'm glad you have an appointment. I'll be thinking of you.

mg15

Hi, I hope you can get to a dermatologist who deals with cancerous issues. A punch

biopsy seems very reasonable. Get to the bottom of this.

Mary1977

the dr I saw at the hospital suggested seeing the breast surgeon first, I wonder if he could do punch biopsy

AliceBastable

Your great-aunt and her offspring wouldn't be counted as close enough relatives to matter for your risk. I hope you find answers soon.

MinusTwo

Mary - as detailed in many posts, dermatologists handle skin. If you had a red patch on your arm or your stomach - you would not be thinking breast cancer and would be going to a dermatologist. Certainly not a surgeon. See if you can get an appointment.

Mary1977

it was my dr that has referred me . She said red patches do occur anywhere but she is more cautionary because it’s the breast . She said before she recommends a determologist for me to see the breast surgeon . I’m only repeating what I have been told

MinusTwo

Good luck Mary

Mary1977

Mary1977

this is red patch. I feel fed up, even though the sonographer said everything ok I still haven't received the report from the radiologist dr. I called the clinic and they said they were still waiting for the previous films so they could compare. I wish the 20th Would hurry up . I have no one to talk to about this

exbrnxgrl

Mary,

The moderators have requested that we not post breast pics. You can remove it or the mods will ( at some point). I am glad that you don’t have bc and hope a dermatologist can clear things up for you. Take care

Beesie

Can you get in to see a Dermatologist sooner than the 20th?

The Breast Surgeon will only consider if the patch might be IBC and if he doesn't think so, he will send you on your way. A Dermatologist's job is to resolve issues on the skin. The Dermatologist can do a punch biopsy and has more incentive to do one since it not only would diagnose IBC but also numerous skin conditions. I realize that the doctor you saw at the hospital suggested a breast surgeon to be more cautious, but that approach is less likely to resolve this quickly. A Dermatologist isn't going to ignore the possibility of IBC but will also look more broadly at what else this might be. The doctor you spoke to in the ER probably has never seen IBC in her life and may not even know that the best method diagnose IBC is with a punch biopsy, which a Dermatologist can do as easily (if not more easily) than a Breast Surgeon.

Mary1977

thank you Beesie or your reply. I think you have to get referred here (Canada) to a dermatologist my dr away until next week . I might call round see if I can see one without referral.

Beesie

I'm in Canada. Yes, the GP is the gatekeeper of medical services so must provide a referral. Is there another doctor at your GP's office who can do the referral? Or a Nurse Practitioner you can see there? Or is there an Urgent Care clinic nearby that you can go to? They could probably provide the referral. Or do you have a Gyne who could do the referral?

Mary1977

Beesie please could I send you a private message

Beesie

Mary, yes, but I won't be signed on again till much later in the day.