Breast still filled with fluid

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Wrenwood47
Wrenwood47 Member Posts: 73
edited June 2014 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

I had lumpectomy 3/7/11. I am not having Chemo treatments against Oncologist recommendation. Radiologist wants to start radiation treatments 5/4/11. Breast is not healed from surgery and still has a lot of fluid in it. Has anyone had this happen and did they begin treatment on an unhealed breast? If the fluid gets irradiated then is absorbed by the body, won't that be harmful ?

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  • sagina
    sagina Member Posts: 1,219
    edited April 2011

    I am on my 7th radiation treatment, I had a lumpectomy aswell.  My radiation oncologist saw me Tuesday and noticed what I had been feeling, a huge seroma (fluid filling the void from lumpectomy).  He made me go see my surgeon who did an ultrasound to make sure we were only dealing with fluid, thank goodness that's all it was.  He said I can continue radiation as is, or drain it, but that it would probably fill up again rather quickly.  He also didn't want to puncture the skin during radiation unless I just couldn't stand it anymore.  I asked him if the fluid gets in the way at all, he said radiation passes right though it.  After radiation he said the body will probably absorb it, or I can have it drained as soon as treatment is done.

    Hope this helps....

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  • Wrenwood47
    Wrenwood47 Member Posts: 73
    edited April 2011

    Thanks and yes, your post did help. How long did you wait after surgery before you started radiation?

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited April 2011

    Wrenwood, welcomeSmile

    Is this a seroma you're talking about, or is it diffused fluid? If the fluid is not pooled in a seroma, you may be dealing with breast lymphedema, and many doctors don't recognize it or are slow to diagnose it. Here's some information about it:

    http://www.stepup-speakout.org/breast_chest_trunckal_lymphedema.htm

    Hoping you get some quick resolution to this problem and can move on with your treatment.

    Be well!
    Binney

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  • SusanHG
    SusanHG Member Posts: 655
    edited April 2011

    Wrenwood:  I started rads with an infection, which swelled my breast up a lot and I had a break in my incision with fluid draining out.  They said the only way they would delay my radiation was if I had a gaping wound in my breast. Hope this helps!!

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  • Wrenwood47
    Wrenwood47 Member Posts: 73
    edited April 2011

    Thanks Susan, I will chk with Dr. I have had swelling in thigh of right leg...could not tell in by reading the link if it could be related to lumpectomy In right breast. Looking back it seems to have started before surgery. Thanks again

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  • redsox
    redsox Member Posts: 523
    edited May 2011

    If the fluid is a seroma, that is fluid filling the lumpectomy cavity, it is common and will not cause problems while doing radiation therapy.  In fact, it gives the radiation oncologist a nice clear picture of the geometric volume of the lumpectomy cavity and a specific target to aim at.  Stray cancer cells in the fluid would not be unusual and having radiation before the fluid reabsorbs into the breast tissue is good. 

    If the fluid is not a seroma but swelling then it matters whether it is lymphedema of edema.  Radiation could make lymphedema worse but should not have any long term effect on edema.

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  • lesleye
    lesleye Member Posts: 38
    edited May 2011

    I was wondering about the fluid. I am going on 3/33 tomorrow, and I think I see the rad onc. tomorrow.  My breast is filled with fluid, and strange shaped.  I hope this is normal, although abnormal looking.  Everything else is great!!!!

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  • Wrenwood47
    Wrenwood47 Member Posts: 73
    edited May 2011

    Thanks redsox, that info helps me a lot. I see Rad Dr 3/2/11 and will confirm what you wrote.



    Lesleye, Good luck w/ your continuing treatments, I begin on Wed 5/4/11. Glad to hear it is going well, keep in touch!

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  • mimix3
    mimix3 Member Posts: 11
    edited May 2011

    I had neo-adjuvant chemotherapy, a bilateral mastectomy and was scheduled to begin radiation approximately 4 - 6 weeks following the mastectomy. However, I developed a sizable seroma (following the surgery) that had to be drained numerous times. My Radiation Oncologist would not begin the process of radiation while the seroma was still large and requiring ongoing aspiration. The reason she gave was that the fluid distorted the precise measurements that would be necessary for them to pintpoint the exact areas to be radiated. i.e. If I had radiation while the seroma was still there, the radiation would not be nearly as accurate as it needed to be. My surgeon agreed. The end result was that my radiation was delayed for an additional 4 - 6 weeks, until the seroma was greatly reduced. The agreement between my surgeon and RO was that the seroma would/could not be drained after my radiation simulation/mark up was begun.

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