Lump under nipple 3 years after nipple sparing mx

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I've discovered a pea sized lump under my nipple that was spared after a diep flap 3 years ago. Calling doc on Monday morning but of course wondering what it could be until then. Would tissue necrosis happen this long after surgery? I have nothing but fat and implant there now but of course to save the nipple they couldn't get every bit of breast tissue so I can't help but worry. Any other ideas besides what I hope it's not?

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  • Txgatata
    Txgatata Member Posts: 60
    edited March 2014

    Have appt with Onco Wed morning but would live to hear from anyone about this!!!

  • bevin
    bevin Member Posts: 1,902
    edited March 2014

    Hi there, I'm sorry I dont have any input but to say I hope for a benign cause and am glad your doctor is seeing you Wednesday. Until then try to relax and do some thing fun for yourself to keep your mind occupied.  I know someone will be along soon who has more input. Best wishes and keep us posted.

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 16,818
    edited March 2014

    Hi there!  So sorry you are going through this worry all over again but it is very possible that it may just be scar tissue that has developed.  It's a good thing that you are having it checked out by the people who know best and that is your doc.

    Good luck and please let is know how you get on.

    Love n hugs.   Chrissy

  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited March 2014

    I have seen several people have a fatty lipoma afterward. Certainly hoping for a benign finding.

  • Txgatata
    Txgatata Member Posts: 60
    edited March 2014

    Saw Onco today. Had Mammo, ultrasound and biopsy. Microcalcifications next to lump. Waiting in results that could hopefully come by Friday. Thank you for the reassurances! They mean a lot!

  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 16,818
    edited March 2014

    J I'm keeping everything crossed that the results are benign!

    Love n hugs.   Chrissy 

  • Jaimieh
    Jaimieh Member Posts: 2,373
    edited March 2014

    I had a lump that felt like a pee when I had implants.  I didn't have nipple sparing BUT it was a stitch that didn't dissolve that my body kept putting inflammation around.  I hope you get some good results on Friday.


  • Txgatata
    Txgatata Member Posts: 60
    edited March 2014

    Radiologist and Oncologist called today and told me it is invasive ductal carcinoma. They are a little amazed because the chances of DCIS returning was less than 1% let alone the chance that it would turn into IDC. The pathologist called them with the results so they don't even have the actual report so I don't have the stage or anything. Onco just said its just about a centimeter and he feels my GS can excise with clean margins. Follow that with rads and reconstruction of nipple as both have to go now, sad to say. But I am happy to have caught it early. Will update when I know more but want to thank you ladies for taking the time to talk to me. I will make sure I post more as there was so little information on nipple sparing, hopefully it will help someone else.

  • Double-Trouble
    Double-Trouble Member Posts: 16
    edited March 2014

    jmanningtx, I'm so sorry about the news you recieved today... all the more teeth-grinding that the odds of this happening are so dang small.  ((cyber-hug))  Thank goodness you were right on top of it and are clearly getting down to business.

    You're right; not a lot of info regarding nipple spare.  I'm very new to the site (5 months into my journey) and your's is the first post I've come across that mentions it. I had nipple sparing BMX and was told by my surgeon that there was an unspeakably low chance of recurrence when asking about the fact that nipple is indeed ductal tissue. She projected that I would probably not need radiation to my chest, only the axillary, where I had two of 40 positive nodes. 

    I'm halfway through chemo and met with a RO last week.  Turns out she would like to radiate my chest wall, partly because of the nipple spare.  

    As I understand your situation, you had DCIS and treatment was a mastectomy with nipple spare.  Did you have chemo and/or radiation as well?  I'm now wondering if there is not a clear protocol with nipple spare and maybe there should be.  THoughts?


  • Txgatata
    Txgatata Member Posts: 60
    edited March 2014

    I was diagnosed with DCIS 3 years ago. I asked for a mammogram because of work I do with Komen and the fact I pretty much tell people to get mammograms all the time so I didn't want to be a hypocrit. No history, 36 years old and I just wanted a baseline. They found a couple of small areas of DCIS and recommended lumpectomy. But again, in my work with Komen I have met so many women that have had recurrences and I just didn't want the chance of it happening again so I chose to do a double mastectomy.  I had the greastest plastic surgeon ever who was able to reconstruct my breast using the DIEP technique and I actually had nipples that worked and some feeling in my breasts not to mention they are absolutely beautiful. When I was getting the mammo and US yesterday, the techs even commented on how amazing they looked!

    I followed up once with my Onco after surgery but he told me there was no need to see him again as I had decided on the mastectomy. No rads, just follow up with my GYN as needed for mammograms.

    Last Friday, I found a lump and scoured the internet for info on recurrence with nipple sparing. Sadly, didn't find much. Found one that my doc wrote on skin sparing where zero patients in the study with DCIS had recurrences! It really is just a fluke thing. Onco thinks that when I had the surgery, some of the cells escaped from the ducts and decided to have a party, ie my new tumor. Crazy thing is, when they did the path on my mastectomy they found nothing not even the DCIS so they assumed it was excised in one of the 4 (yes, 4 biopsies I had). Guess they missed a couple of spots!

    Nipple sparing appears to be safe for most people, but as with any breast cancer you just never know. If I had it to do all over again I probably would do the same thing again because chances really are low for recurrence with DCIS. I will say that I did find more people that had recurrences that were primary IDC but none where the primary was DCIS.



  • chrissyb
    chrissyb Member Posts: 16,818
    edited March 2014

    Oh J I'm so sorry you have gotten this news but as you say, it's early.  Good luck with your treatments.

    Love n hugs.   Chrissy

  • Double-Trouble
    Double-Trouble Member Posts: 16
    edited March 2014

    hmmmm.   I felt the same way when a lumpectomy was recommended; I found my own anectdotal research didn't corrolate with 'no difference in risk of recurrence' between lumpectomy and mastectomy, so, off they went.

    I love that skin and nipple sparing are possible today; I hope it becomes clearer soon if radiation should become standard with these sparing proceedures.

    You mentioned cells escaping during surgery. Always a risk, the little so-and-so's.  My infant son survived stage IV Neuroblastoma, and this has caused me to be an inssessant information gatherer.  At this point it's serving me well, and I thank you again for sharing your experience. Keep us posted on the theories that might pop up and your tx outline. 

    Thinking the best for you, 


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