Skin Met Symptoms

Did you not have a rash when you were dx in 2006?  If not, what were your symptoms then?  When I was dx with IBC this past summer, I had a rash along with hot swollen breast, orange-peel like skin, skin thickening, flattened nipple.  My rash did not itch.  It was not individual bumps but a raised reddish area that gradually covered more of my breast. 

Oh, just so you know I do not have IBC but skin mets from BC is still skin mets.

Hi Karen,

I was diagnosed with  local skin mets while on some maintenence chemo in March. I had a mastecomy with partial reconstruction in November. In February I compledted Radaiation and a month later the rash popped up on the IBC side. It looked like a red rash. It was not raised and it did sort of pop up in other areas of the breast. At first I though it might be from the radiation because it seemed to shrink in one area and then grow in another. It was not itchy but the skin was tight. I brought it to my oncologists attention and she sent me to my surgeon the next day for a punch biopsy. Needless to say it came back as skin mets(a local recurrence). I repeated scans and the cacer did not spread anywhere else. I started a new regime of chemo Carbo and Taxol and it cleared up pretty quickly but I am down at MDA about to undergo a stem cell transplant to try and make sure it stays away.

I would push for the biopsy and then you will know for sure. I wish you the best of luck. Please keep us updated on whats going on with you.

Dorothy

I'm so glad I found this thread---I PM'd Bonnie about this question.  I am 5 months out from radiation and had bil mx last June.  I developed a 1 inch by 4 inch red rash at my bra line (from my foobs)... tried emu oil, hydrocortisone, and just started an anti-fungal.  Talked with the Rads Dr today and he said if it was skin mets it usually recurs as nodules..feels like rice or a pea.  Isn't it terrible that we are always worried about something that might be benign?  I will wait through the weekend and show it to the Dr while I'm at chemo on Monday.  It reminds me of a yeast rash (from when I had my DDD boobs!) as its itchy.  We'll see.....Thanks for this thread

Carole 

Thanks for your post Karen....and for the name of the cream--right now I'm using an antifungal powder and it isn't doing anything.  Guess we'll see what the oncologist says when I go in tomorrow.

Blessings and hugs

Carole 

Bad news.....both are POSITIVE!  Got the results this morning....so the avastin and abraxane aren't working.  The oncologist mentioned calling the Parp rep about getting a drug as a compassionate allowance. She's worried about my cough too--I am convinced its from avastin but she's worried its cancer in the airway and wants me to have a bronch.  So our plate is full, along with our salad plate and dessert plate!  Thanks for your thoughts and prayers

ps--Bonnie, my rash doesn't look like the pix on the IBC website--it is deep red/purple and 1 inch by 4 inches 

Thanks ladies for your hugs and words of support.  It has been a whirlwind day but nothing that a good movie (we saw Training your Dragon in 3d with the kids) and dinner at Red Robin couldn't solve!  HA!  So I've decided that the avastin/abraxane didn't work BUT that there are other options, right? RIGHT!  The oncologist mentioned a Parp but we'll see--I think there is a trial in Idaho but if it is used for compassionate allowance, I'm not sure how that works.  I've had carboplat but not gemzar so maybe that's an option too. I think some ladies are on gemzar and cisplat instead of carboplat--thankfully I've taken lots of notes from the boards!

I am so thankful for my team of Doctors.  My oncologist called me twice today and they have set up a bronch because of my long lasting cough--she just wants to make sure everything is ok. And I still have a PET scheduled for Monday--we're praying for no progression elsewhere. 

So we take one day at a time and covet every prayer and positive though.  Thanks ladies!

Blessings and hugs

Carole 

First of all, Carole, your in my thoughts and prayers.  I'm so sorry your going through this.

I've been lurking on this thread for a couple of days because I've been battling what I think is ecxema at my bra line too, under my mastectomy sight.  It itches and I've had it for about a year. I recall having my breast surgeon look at it and he told me it looked like eczema so I didn't worry about it.  Kind of ignore it and put a prescription cream on it called triamcinolone acetonide I got as a prescription for my face.  I do get exzema on my face and around my ears. The ones on my face come and go in different places. Usually run a course of about 4 to 5 days then goes away whether I use the medication or not.   Been having that for years.  My oncologist even looked at ithe bra line spot, but i told her it was exzema and she agreed. Now I'm not so sure.

But the one under my mastectomy site has never completely gone away.  Its always there. it may flare up and be redder at times, but its always there.  I looked at the pictures on this thread and it looks exactly like the 2nd group of pictures.  IT's about 1 inch by 1 inch. It itches but is never painful. 

I'm definitely calling my doctor on monday. 

THanks, Carole.

I made an appointment with a dermotologist who is listed with my insurance.  Only problem is that they don't have a new patient opening until June, so I took the appointment and they told me to check back with them if I wanted to, to check if they have any cancellations since I want the spot tested under the mastectomy site. Since it hasn't grown any, I am not too worried. Even the small chance it is cancer, since it isn't growing larger, I feel I'll be okay and it will be negative. I just want the peace of mind to be sure. This doctor comes highly recommended by my boss, who's a dentist.  I'll keep everyone posted.

Thank so much,

deb