Fat necrosis anyone?

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BeHereNow
BeHereNow Member Posts: 222
edited July 2014 in Living Without Reconstruction After a Mastectomy

Hi, I am nearly 5 months post BMX. Cancer in rt. breast, prophylactic removal of left breast. I did not reconstruct.



A few days ago, I noticed a large lump on the left side of my chest, under the scar line. It's about three inches long and 2 in wide. My surgeon can't see me til next week. Does it sound like fat necrosis? What else could it be on the noncancerous side?

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  • gardengumby
    gardengumby Member Posts: 7,305
    edited July 2013

    I don't see how it could be fat necrosis with no reconstruction.  Fat necrosis comes from the fat that they use to build your new breast not getting enough blood supply and hardening.  But I'm no surgeon, nor nurse, so that's just my opinion - I wouldn't take it to the bank or anything.

    I would assume scar tissue, but as all of us have paranoia issues at this point, I would hie thee to the dr as soon as he/she is available.

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  • carolpr56
    carolpr56 Member Posts: 241
    edited July 2013

    BeHereNow - I was told a fat necrosis was more likely to happen anywhere there 'd been damage or Previous Breast Surgery. So definitely possible on the non cancerous side. I had ultrasound, sonogram and mammogram on mine - only to have the radiation doc tell me that fat necroses were unpredictable and that she couldn't make any good guesses (and recommended biopsy).



    So, back to the waiting game for YOU, dearie! The worst part of the whole ordeal, don't you agree?

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  • BeHereNow
    BeHereNow Member Posts: 222
    edited July 2013

    Yes, I do agree! The waiting sucks! I do, however, suspect it's not cancerous. I will report back when I know something. Thank you for your response.



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  • crystalphm
    crystalphm Member Posts: 1,138
    edited July 2013

    Wishing you the best, please let us know what is going on.

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  • GeorgiaRai
    GeorgiaRai Member Posts: 175
    edited September 2013

    I was glad to find this thread, but am wondering how things turned out for you, BeHereNow.  I have a lump, too, that my onc suspects is fat necrosis. She said she wasn't too worried about it but I could go back to my breast surgeon & get an ultrasound "for my peace of mind".  What they don't get is I have more peace of mind just accepting it and not going through more tests! 

    It's hard to find info on fat necrosis in non-reconstructed women.

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  • Lily55
    Lily55 Member Posts: 3,534
    edited September 2013

    I have necrosis seen on mri and no recon

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  • River_Rat
    River_Rat Member Posts: 1,724
    edited September 2013

    GeorgiaRai, I looked at BeHereNow's profile and see that she posted in a different forum five days after her post here that she had a large seroma drained from the non-cancer side. So it looks like that turned out ok.

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  • NancyD
    NancyD Member Posts: 3,562
    edited September 2013

    I'm glad BeHereNow's situation resolved itself, but I feel compelled to add that even without recon, fat necrosis can occur. I did not have my recon for 2-1/2 years after my BMX. In that time, the normal fat tissue that was left below and to the sides hardened considerably, especially on the cancer side which was heavily radiated.

    When I did finally have DIEP recon, my plastic surgeon said he spent a good portion of the time carving away at the hardened fat to make room for my new breasts. (And "carving" was the term he used.)

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  • GeorgiaRai
    GeorgiaRai Member Posts: 175
    edited September 2013

    Thanks for the update, River_Rat - glad to know she's ok. 

    Lily & NancyD, I appreciate your input, as well.  I have a routine CT scan scheduled next month so *if* my oncologist is concerned after that, I'll see what my breast surgeon thinks.  I feel confident it's nothing, and for practical reasons, I'd rather not go through a bunch of tests right at the end of the year (when that dreaded insurance deductible starts over January 1).  Mine is on my radiated cancer-side like yours, Nancy, so it makes sense that it was vulnerable to necrosis.

    Wishing you all a peaceful and happy Sunday!  

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  • GeorgiaRai
    GeorgiaRai Member Posts: 175
    edited July 2014

    It's been a while but I finally saw my BS yesterday and she did an ultrasound of my lump.  It was easily identifiable as fat necrosis (or to use her technical term - "gunk") and is nothing to worry about.   

    The best way I can describe this area is that it's about the size & shape of a small sausage patty and the texture/consistency of a hard gummy bear or Jujube candy (can you tell I'm hungry? lol)  I first noticed it over a year after my BMX, above my incision on the breast cancer side. 

    I had a hard time finding much info on fat necrosis in women without reconstruction, so I wanted to post this update here in case anyone else is searching for answers like I was.  

    Hugs to all!

    Rachel

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