Big tumor.. Need advice!

Get it checked out. It could be infection instead of cancer - but should be checked ASAP anyway.

Does she have a BC dx? Large tumor? Or is that just a supposition? If she has already been dx's with BC, she should see her medical oncologist and/or breast surgeon.

what optomistic traveler said exactly. docs should be made aware of this. we are not doctors, and for sure cannot dx, even if we did see it ourselves!

I agree with the other ladies.  If she is in active treatment her oncologist should be made aware of this, if they don't already know about it.  I'd be surprised if they aren't checking her periodically if she had a tumor close to the skin previously to chemo.  Check with her docs.  Don't speculate on the "what if's".  Get some expert answers.

Keep us posted!

Sharon

Wow, that's so great art133!

 It's good for the cancer patient to have a go to person accompany them on each visit to the cancer team.  My DH was always in the office with me and If I forgot a question, he would always think of it.  I'm assuming you are with her while she is in with her docs?

Oceana

The reddened area should definitely be checked. I had abscesses at two different times during chemo, one in the lumpectomy incision area, and another in the axillary node incision area. Since chemo zaps your body's ability to fight off even minor infection, that infection can escalate pretty quickly into abscess. Redness of the skin that got larger day to day was one of the signs I had, as well as systemic illness (fever, etc.) I had never had an abscess before - so didn't really recognize what it was at first.

art133

 I'm so glad the tumor is shrinking.  Yes I do feel rads were easier than chemo.  Sounds funny when I think about it because I was terrified at the thought of rads.  But I went ever day to radiology at the Hospital close to home and had a wonderful Rads Onc.  The whole team was wonderful also.  No pain no muss no fuss. I would lay there under the big machine and just look at the ceiling which was so beautiful with gorgeous images of Salt Water Fish and Reef Habitat.  The only side effects were fatique, and a little sunburn under my are occasionally which was treated easily with Aquafor.  My daughter also told me to soak in a bath tub of Epson Salts to draw excess radiation from my body, which I did during each bath.

Oceana

Sharon,  I too was a dense breast patient.  I noticed my tumor while taking a shower and noticing dimpling in my nipple.  The 5.2 cm tumor was right under the nipple!  I don't know how that was missed in mammograms but it was! I never even noticed the tumor accept that I noticed my nipple was starting to invert..

Oceana