Infected Seroma and rising tumor markers

LRM - thank you!  I did talk to the oncologist late this afternoon and he said the same thing.  Hopefully the antibiotic along with the aspiration today will resolve the problem.

Michelle

LRM - so it turns out that the seroma was not infected at all.  It did, however, contain cancer cells.  And how did that happen when I had a lumpectomy and internal (Mammosite) radiation???  Well, the BS thinks that somehow cancer cells were pulled into the hematoma at the biopsy site and therefore escaped radiation.  She said it is extremely rare, but it does happen.  And oh, the Cytology lab did not properly handle the specimen sent to them for pathology, so they couldn't perform any other tests on the specimen.  Cancer cells were found...no other information available. 

So now, I am an "interesting" case which will be presented to the Tumor Board.  I am in the process of getting testing underway and having a consultation with a PS.  The plan is a BMX with DIEP within the month. 

I would prefer to be boring

Michelle

Linda - I guess I won't know until after the BMX, unless the PET scan or MRI show something unexpected.  There will be no further biopsies until I have the BMX...not going through that again!  I have an onco appointment this afternoon at 3:15, then an MRI at around 5:00.  I'm sure the onco will schedule the PET within a few days.  My PS appointment is Monday. 

This is a bit like a runaway freight train, and I'm holding on for dear life.

Thanks for thinking of me,

Michelle

I had my onco visit and did the MRI this evening.  The MRI doesn't bother me, so that was no big deal.  The onco visit, on the other hand, sucked.  I didn't like him last July and I like him less now.  He uses "shock and awe" as my DH calls it.  It's chemo or die... but we have no test results, we don't know what the MRI or PET scan will show.  We have no pathology.  But he's recommending MX with axillary dissection, chemo, and chest wall radiation if I want him to cure me.  Really???  He must know something that the rest of the world has missed, because last time I checked there is no cure. 

A search for a new oncologist starts tomorrow.  The PET scan is scheduled for next Friday. 

He may end up being right, but his communication style and tendency to jump to conclusions does me in.  He did this last July and told me I had a 5 cm tumor and needed to start neo-adjuvant chemo "yesterday".  The tumor was 1.7 cm.  The rest was dead tissue and 3 hematomas from the biopsy.  

So until we have something definitive to work with, I'm floating down the river of DeNile.  Not going to panic just yet. 

Thanks for your support!

Michelle