Lump under arm

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Limpet
Limpet Member Posts: 3
edited June 2014 in DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)

Hi, newbie here wondering whether anyone has heard of DCIS progressing to the lymph glands without first recurring locally.

I had a mastectomy for scattered, intermediate grade DCIS 5 years ago. No lymph glands were tested (I was told as I had pure DCIS there was no chance of spread to lymph) and the lab report on the removed breast confirmed that "no invasive cancer was seen". But here I am 5 years down the line and I've  just discovered a pea-sized lump under the arm on that side. I'm pretty sure it's a lymph gland as it feels similar to some normal ones I have in my neck (not worried by those as they've been there unchanged for 40 years – the arm pit one is new, I think).

I've called the Breast Care nurses line at my hospital and I'm waiting for a reply, but wondered whether anyone had ever heard of anything like this happening. I'm scared, and wondering whether they perhaps didn't check the breast properly in the lab and missed a bit of invasive.

Thanks! 

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  • roseg
    roseg Member Posts: 3,133
    edited August 2009

    I have read of this kind of thing happening to women and I don't think you can finger the original pathology. Just because they didn't see anything invasive in your original surgery doesn't mean that some cells hadn't escaped. The risk of DCIS going invasive is exactly why we're all put through this drill for something that isn't invasive. 

    The positive aspect is that it took 5 years for something to turn up. Even if it is breast cancer that says to me that it's not real aggressive and probably was just a couple of cells back when you had your surgery.

    However, this is exactly the reason why we're following up on regularly after our surgeries and I would expect the Breast Center to be seeing you, doing some kind of imaging and possibly suggesting an excision of that spot if it's not determined to be some kind of infection/virus thingy.

    The underarm area has a lot of glands and it's not out of the question that you could have a cyst or boil. Does it hurt?

    I hope you aren't too worried - but I would also be calling them back if you don't hear back from them in a few days!

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  • Limpet
    Limpet Member Posts: 3
    edited August 2009

    Thanks Rose. No, it doesn't hurt. I am pretty sure it's a gland as I have some similar-feeling things in my neck and under my jaw which I know to be normal lymph glands (they've been there since I was a child). This thing is deep in the arm pit, not in the skin/flesh part. I've had a boil in the arm pit before (not recently) and that felt nothing like this. 

    Hoping to speak to the Breast Nurse on Tuesday. I really hope I'm not going to be told to "keep an eye on it".  I really hope they'll take it out and send to the lab so I'll know for sure what it is.

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  • roseg
    roseg Member Posts: 3,133
    edited August 2009

    I agree - "keeping an eye on it" is not the right answer.

    If they try to give that to you I think it would be time to pitch a fit. It may not be anything but you won't know that until a professional checks it out.

    The only acceptable answer is "when can you come in so you can be seen!"

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  • ilovetytrev
    ilovetytrev Member Posts: 5
    edited August 2009

    I know how you feel, I'm going thru the same as I'm readaing your post.  I have had my

    lumpectomy in Feb. and Chemo March, April, May and June.  Currently on my 14th

    round of rads.  Wouldn't you know it, I have a Lump in my underarm.  My left, My lumpectomy

    was on my right.  I going to get a mammo and sonogram tomorrow.  You do need to go get this

    checked out.  Put your mind at rest.  Call your Doc..   You'll sleep better at night.  

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  • mawhinney
    mawhinney Member Posts: 1,377
    edited August 2009

    I recently found a lump in my underarm area near my sentinel node biopsy incision. I was already scheduled for a routine mri & pointed the area out to the tect The tech said the area would not show up on an mri. I had an ultrasound follow-up to the mri & the radiologist checked out the underarm area.  My surgical oncologist thought it might be scar tissue from the sentinel node biopsy but did a core needle biopsy and it turned out to be fatty tissue.

    Since having been diagnosed with breast cancer 14 months ago, every lump and bump gets my full attention!

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  • Limpet
    Limpet Member Posts: 3
    edited August 2009

    Thank you everyone who replied. 

    I had an ultrasound scan on my arm pit today. The doctor could see a couple of lymph glands but they were normal-looking, with no suspicious features. He said he was not at all worried and that sometimes normal glands are palpable, especially in thin people. Also he noted that it is nearly 5 years since my mastectomy, so he said I need not go back for routine checkups every year now and that they would not see me again unless I developed any new symptoms. I am very happy today!

    But I agree, any future lump or bump will still be getting my full attention. 

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  • sueboo24
    sueboo24 Member Posts: 1
    edited November 2009

    so sorry you have this to worry about!  i hope this helps a bit.  I discovered a small pea sized lump in July after 3 years of being cancer free.  it was under my right arm.  my surgeon removed it right away, didn' want to waste time with other tests.  Scary when they rush you to the OR! It was B9, thank goodness.  Glandular ectopic breast tissue, which has puzzled all my docs. It's fairly uncommon especially after a bilateral mx.  Now I'm dealing with a very stubborn seroma, but all in all, still cancer free.  You absolutely can have benign findings after cancer.  I so hope that you had a positive outcome.  Let me know how you are!

     Lots of prayers for you!

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