Swelling in treated breast - almost 1 YR later ??

chimayo · November 2009

I was treated for DCIS last year. My last surgery was in August and I concluded radiotherapy nearly one year ago. Although the treated breast did get smaller in size (after swelling went down), it has since swelled up to be larger than the unaffected breast. It is tender, and swollen not only in the area of the surgical bed, but also on the opposite side.

Has anyone had a similar experience? I've seen 4 doctors and had 2 sonograms, and all have told me they see the problem (it is obvious) but don't know what it is. One suggested that it may be that lymphatic fluid is collecting and cannot drain. ???

I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who has had a similar experience.

Thanks!

motheroffoursons · November 2009

Dear Chimayo,

Let me share you my experience. About 9 months after finishing radiation, I woke up with a huge, red, swollen breast. I freaked out. Over the next 3 months I had a couple of mammograms, a couple of ultrasounds, and a couple of MRI's at different facilities. Also a punch biopsy. I feared inflammatory BC.

I had one onc. say, We don't know what is making it red:,at which point I changed doctors.

Final word was probably radiation reaction, where something set off the immune system to react as during radiation.

Later, I recounted my activities in the weeks before the red boob explosion. I had been on an outdoor picnic mostof the day and was wearing a thin black blouse. I just rebaked my breast and it swelled as it did during radiation.I This was last year but the breast is still slightly redder than the other but, the funky skin is much less, and is no longer tender

So don't freak out, but make sure your doctors know.

.Watch it, go to the Dr., but don't assume the worst. You can push for a punch biopsy from a surgeon to rest your mind.

chimayo · November 2009

Thank you !!! I've read several entries and related links in the Lymphedema section, and it sure seems to be a match. I wasn't so much scared as fed up with this, and just puzzled as to why now I would have this reaction, and for so long (since June).

Thank you very much for directing me to that group. It is a satisfying feeling to finally have an answer; now I can try to take steps to resolve the problem.

Swelling in treated breast - almost 1 YR later ??

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