Lump below scar

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Cyn0619
Cyn0619 Member Posts: 63
edited June 2014 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

Hi I was diagnosed with dcis grade 3 a year ago. I had BMX 12/2011 and implants end of April 2012. In the last month I've had pea size hard lump appear right near where cancer was. Primary dr sent me for ultrasound and nothing was seen. Radiologist recommended mammo in 6 months ( i thought you couldnt do mammo with bmx and implants??)Saw my plastic surgeon and he states he is 99 percent sure it is scar tissue under aloderm and pec muscle but recommended MRI. Nothing appears on MrI. Radiologist recommends repeat of MRI in one year. Surgeon stated to be absolutely sure he would need to re open my incision and look but didn't think was necessary. If there was a reoccurrence would it show up on MRI? Need advice if I should have surgery or go with what my plastic surgeon says. Waiting on appointment with oncologist to get her recommendation. Thank you ladies for your advice.

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  • Timbuktu
    Timbuktu Member Posts: 1,906
    edited December 2012

    Why couldn't they do a biopsy?

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  • Golden01
    Golden01 Member Posts: 916
    edited December 2012

    Good question. I have BC. I have learned to pay attention to my concerns. Your idea of seeing what your MO says is a good one. Does your surgeon do just BC or other surgeries as well? Maybe you could think about going for a second opinion either at a reserach cancer center or a surgeon (like mine) that only does breast surgery (he does some thyroid surgery too).

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  • Denise-G
    Denise-G Member Posts: 1,777
    edited December 2012

    I did not have reconstructive surgery, but I sure had a lot of scar tissue develop.  It scared me to death when I first felt it.

    My Rad Onc said, "Feels like scar tissue.  If its cancer, it will get bigger.  Check with your MO."  Actually, his comments made me laugh.    Since then about 10 people have felt it and determined scar tissue.  It has never grown any more.  I never had it biopsied as it is now the same 5 months later. 

    But it is very scarey...you have to do what you need to do to feel confident it is okay.

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  • Cyn0619
    Cyn0619 Member Posts: 63
    edited December 2012

    Thank you ladies. It was my plastic surgeon that told me this and to be honest I don't know if he does anything else but breast surgery or not. I thought maybe he was worried about damaging the implant by biopsying but I guess I need to ask him. I will ask my oncologist what she thinks. My primary doctor seems completely clueless about cancer so I don't rely on anything she says. I thought doing Bmx would pretty much ensure I wouldn't be going thru the stress of biopsies again but I know they can't can't every bit of tissue. Thank you again

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  • doxie
    doxie Member Posts: 1,455
    edited December 2012

    Cyn0619- I just had a similar scare.  A small lump near my SLN scar was deep by the lymph nodes.  I was worried it was mets in a lymph node.  It was particularly worrisome because I'd been off anastrozole for 8 weeks because of a vision SE.  After examining it my BS said it was scar tissue growing around a stitch.  He knows where the stitches are.  If it changes we'll do ultrasound and biopsy.  I'm confortable with wait see, but if you aren't you should pursue it.  

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  • LittleMelons
    LittleMelons Member Posts: 273
    edited December 2012

    Hi Cyn0619 - I am being followed now for a lump near the surgical scar too (lumpectomy). I had a regular mammogram and magnified views of it about 7 months ago, then a 6-month follow-up with mag views in November.  I will have another follow-up in 6 months.  So far they can see calcifications, but they don't look suspicious.  I think the doctors looks very closely at these lumpy scars early on after surgery because that is a common site for a recurrence - although recurrences are relatively rare.  So try not to worry, they are being careful and checking it out.  I panicked at first, but am ultimately glad that it is being checked.  I'm not sure about the ability to do a mammogram on a breast with implants, though.  I haven't had a breast MRI, but I think that is an even better way to see if there is any cancer.

    Good luck.  Keep us posted.  :)

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  • Blessings2011
    Blessings2011 Member Posts: 4,276
    edited December 2012

    Cyn0619 - Each time I see my MO, she does an extensive manual exam. So you can imagine how shook up I was the day after I saw her and found a hard lump about 3 cm above my incision on the right.

    I was in the shower and doing my prescribed massaging of the implants with soapy hands, and BAM! There it was.

    I emailed her and described what I felt. I was hoping it was scar tissue.

    She emailed me back and told me it was most likely the filling port on my saline implant! Surprised I didn't even know I HAD a filling port on my implant, but thinking about it, it made sense. 

    I emailed my PS and he gave me the same answer, and said to come in so he could check it if I wanted him to. I decided to wait til my regular appointment next month....Undecided

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