Lump in armpit

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DFC1994
DFC1994 Member Posts: 163
edited June 2014 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned
Lump in armpit
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  • DFC1994
    DFC1994 Member Posts: 163
    edited August 2011

    Hi, I have a lump in my armpit that shows a 7mm solid mass on ultrasound in June.My BS did a needle biopsy back in June which came back benign.He is going to repeat the ultrasound in OCT. In the meantime I saw m ONC yesterday for my 6 month checkup and told him about it and he felt it and is VERY concerned.I could not take the tamoxifen due to DVT and genetics blood clotting disorders.Anyways he said he wants a 2nd biopsy on it in OCT and said if anything shows up he may have to put me on tamoxifen in spite of the blood clotting issues. I asked if it was ok to wait until Oct and he said he trusted my BS and it would be ok. We left it at, if the OCT check is ok he would not see me until 6 months in Feb. I leave and right after I leave his nurse calls my cell and says he wants to see me in a Month and scheduled that., Now I am freaking out. I  know he was truely concerned about it ,he said it really is scary to him where it is and they may have to do surgery and take it out along with other lymphnodes and have sent to pathology. Anyone have recurrence in their armpits..This is the DCIS side,my other side was ILC.

    Thanks Dee

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  • LeapFrog39
    LeapFrog39 Member Posts: 101
    edited August 2011

    Can't answer this, but I'll bump it.

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  • ICanDoThis
    ICanDoThis Member Posts: 1,473
    edited August 2011

    Well, not me, but a friend did have exactly this kind of recurrence recently, 5 yrs out ER/PR+. Her lump was larger.

    Treatment was axillary dissection, rads, ooph, and on to AI. She is bummed, but it is a LOCALIZED recurrence.

    Hope yours is scar tissue, or a nice, low-grade, long-term infection (And, Lord, the things we hope for!)

    Sue

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  • KS1
    KS1 Member Posts: 632
    edited August 2011
    Dee - Sounds like we are in similar boats WRT axillary mass. Now, as to the other issue you raise, there are other approaches than tamoxifen to anti-E treatment for those with a clotting disorder. Since you mention tamoxifen, I assume you are pre-menopausal. If you are put into menopause (either surgical or via GnRH agonist like lupron), you can take an AI. Alternatively, SOME hematologists are ok with tamoxifen if a woman is taking an anticoagulant (warfarin, fractionated or unfractionated heparin).

    There are conflicting results about tamoxifen and factor V leiden (most common type of genetic clotting disorder) and DVTs, but the preponderance of the evidence is that it is a bad combo. Here are some links to papers.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20554945

    http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/102/13/918.full

    KS1

    PS There are a few studies out there that suggest that people with genetic clotting disorders may be at greater risk of recurrence for cancer or have more aggressive cancer. PM me if you want more info.

    T

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  • DFC1994
    DFC1994 Member Posts: 163
    edited August 2011

    I saw my BS yesterday and he first suggested surgery and I asked if he could look again with his little ultrasound machine. He did and said the lump actually looks better so we decide to hold off on surgery for now.He wants me to go to the hospital and get an ultrasound in OCT and see him right after and go from there.Please pray it is gone in OCT.

    Thanks

    Dee

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  • jadeblue
    jadeblue Member Posts: 102
    edited September 2011

    I have a new armpit lump too, on the IBC side, just 1 month post-exchange. I think it's probably a cyst or infected hair follicle (red, painful, seems closer to the surface than node) but I've never had one before and will see the BS for exam next week. Am repeating the "probably nothing and if something, something LOCAL" mantra with mixed results. Best to you! Keep us posted.

    -Jade (still getting used to the new, more vigilant  post-cancer reality)

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  • shadow2356
    shadow2356 Member Posts: 393
    edited September 2011

    I had something like that and it turned out to be scar tissue from the sentinal node biopsy.

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  • StillKicking
    StillKicking Member Posts: 115
    edited September 2011

    I had a new lump under the non-BC side.  Onco quickly scheduled biopsy.  During biopsy I asked doctor what he thought it was.  He says he is 95% sure it is cancer and "I've been doing this a long time".  Onco calls with results, it was cat scratch fever.  Lymph nodes were compromised and easily infected.  Simple antibiotics.  It was a scary period but good news in the end.

    Yours will turn out good also.   Sending you prayers.  

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