Supernumerary Nipple~cause for concern?~

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tangandchris
tangandchris Member Posts: 1,855
edited March 2018 in IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)

Has anyone dealt with this and how did it affect your surgerical treatment....if it all? I have an extra nipple...actually 2 of them. One of them is much more prominent under my arm and there is actually extra tissue there. From what I can tell this was not touched during my MX and the last week or so it has felt more prominent, sort of swollen.

I'm the queen of over thinking, but I just wanted to see if anyone has dealt with this. Should this have been removed during my mx as well? I see my BS at the end of the month, and I will for sure ask her about it. But, just wondered if this has come up for anyone else..thanks.

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  • mustlovepoodles
    mustlovepoodles Member Posts: 2,825
    edited June 2016

    IMO, yes, it should be removed. There is a small amount of breast tissue there. I had tiny one that actually produced a small amount of milk when I was breastfeeding. You better believe that thing had to GO with the BMX!

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  • Loveroflife
    Loveroflife Member Posts: 5,563
    edited June 2016

    Bum

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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited June 2016

    p


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  • Loveroflife
    Loveroflife Member Posts: 5,563
    edited June 2016

    That was supposed to say "bump". Here is another creature with 4 breasts. Well, three now. I have a keloid right below the one on the left side (MX side). Not sure how I acquired it because I had no cut near there. Possibly from being clipped during MX. Anyway, I recently noticed that the left accessory breast is a bit bigger than the right and every so often I have shooting pain near the keloid area. So far I can't feel any lump. Could be scar tissue pulling. I need to discuss with MO at next month appointment. Never thought that supernumerary breasts are extension of primary breast tissues. I always thought that they were armpit fat. Thank you for bringing this up.

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  • Loveroflife
    Loveroflife Member Posts: 5,563
    edited June 2016

    Oh thank you Farmerlucy

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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited June 2016

    LOL - it was too good to pass up (lol!)

    Hope you both get some answers soon.

    Hi tang! Me waving.


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  • tangandchris
    tangandchris Member Posts: 1,855
    edited June 2016

    Hey there!

    I was hoping for more if a response, so I'm really glad ya'll posted.

    I saw MO today and he is ordering an U/S for the lump under my arm. I asked about the extra breast tissue and he said I would definitely need to talk to BS about it. He said that he had not heard of axillary nipple being in or near the under arm.

    I see BS on the 27th. I'm eager to see what she says, I still see the extra tissue there. It looks like I just have more fat there.

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  • Loveroflife
    Loveroflife Member Posts: 5,563
    edited June 2016

    When do you go in for US?

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  • tangandchris
    tangandchris Member Posts: 1,855
    edited June 2016

    I'm waiting for the scheduler to call...I honestly thought I'd heard by now. You'd think I'd be used to the waiting game, but it still annoys me.

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  • mustlovepoodles
    mustlovepoodles Member Posts: 2,825
    edited June 2016

    tangandchris, as a nurse I have seen many women and a few men who have supernummary nipples in the armpit. My youngest son has TWO in his right armpit, in fact. Most people don't even realize they have a supernummary nipple--they assume they are moles, unless a doctor points it out to them.

    Here's what MedScape has to say about them: "Supernumerary nipples are common minor congenital malformations that consist of nipples and/or related tissue in addition to the nipples normally appearing on the chest. Supernumerary nipples are located along the embryonic milk lines. Ectopic supernumerary nipples are found beyond the embryonic milk lines. The embryonic milk line is the line of potentially appearing breast tissue as observed in many mammals. In humans, the embryonic milk line extends bilaterally from a point slightly beyond the axillae on the arms [armpits], down the chest and the abdomen toward the groin. It is generally thought to end at the proximal inner sides of the thighs, although supernumerary nipples have been described on the foot.[1] Supernumerary nipples can appear complete with breast tissue and ducts and are then referred to as polymastia, or they can appear partially with either of the tissues involved."

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  • tangandchris
    tangandchris Member Posts: 1,855
    edited June 2016

    I have my U/S Wednesday as well as a bone scan. I'm wondering if an U/S can tell the difference between breast tissue and other tissue.

    I'm really trying to not obsess over this deal, but I'm really bothered by the idea that this was not removed during my mx. Just checking in. Thx

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  • Loveroflife
    Loveroflife Member Posts: 5,563
    edited June 2016

    Hi, Tang. I checked with my sis who is an ultrasound tech and she said that a tumor is usually asymmetrical in shape andwill appear darker and "taller" with shadows compares with the surrounding tissues.

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  • Lou10
    Lou10 Member Posts: 332
    edited June 2016

    I have a small third breast under my contralateral breast and it has never been examined or discussed. I hadn't even thought about it! It just looks like a pouch of fat under my breast so isn't noticable except in profile. I'm glad you raised this issue. You're not overthinking, just thinking!

    In answer to your question about ultrasound appearance, here's what radiopaedia.org says (there's a page on accessory breast tissue at radiopaedia.org/articles/accessory-breast-tissue)

    Radiographic features

    Most accessory breast tissue is found coincidentally on routine screening mammography.

    Breast ultrasound

    Ultrasound imaging shows breast tissue which is indistinguishable from that of the regular breast.

    Breast MRI

    Occasionally performed in challenging atypical cases but in practice this is rarely needed. The signal and enhancement characteristics are similar to normal glandular tissue.

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  • tangandchris
    tangandchris Member Posts: 1,855
    edited June 2016

    thanks lou 😃

    I'm starting to get that feeling of dread that comes over me before a scan of any kind. At least now I've learned to compartmentalize it a little better.

    Life goes on around me no matter if I have scans or not.

    ((Hugs))

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  • Lou10
    Lou10 Member Posts: 332
    edited June 2016

    Oh yes, the dreaded scanxiety. I had a liver MRI last week (just a cyst, thank goodness) and am not the best compartmentalizer!

    Sure hope your ultrasound is clear. Bummer to have had a BMX and still need "breast" imaging.

    Appreciate you raising this issue. I'm scheduled for my annual breast ultrasound next month and will ask for my underbreast thingy to be scanned, thanks to you.

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  • Loveroflife
    Loveroflife Member Posts: 5,563
    edited July 2016

    Bump


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  • tangandchris
    tangandchris Member Posts: 1,855
    edited July 2016

    My scans came back good.....other than the fact that I have arthritis all over my body :)

    The extra nipple issue was a little crazy. I was actually given a mammo on that area and that proved to be interesting/painful.

    After going back and forth, BS has said that she isn't concerned about it unless I am. She said that if I were to have any further recon they could remove it at that time, but she doesn't see the need to take it out at this time. If it were on my cancer side we'd probably take it out though.


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  • Lou10
    Lou10 Member Posts: 332
    edited July 2016

    Good news!

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  • tangandchris
    tangandchris Member Posts: 1,855
    edited July 2016

    Yes it is....I'm gonna ride this good news for awhile. I'd still be interested in learning more about this extra nipple issue in regard to BC. There isn't much I've seen when I googled it, which is suprising.

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  • Loveroflife
    Loveroflife Member Posts: 5,563
    edited July 2016

    Good news indeed!!!

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  • Lou10
    Lou10 Member Posts: 332
    edited July 2016

    Here's another blurb from the radiopaedia article (link in prior post), which I copied to take to my doctor re: monitoring:

    "Treatment and prognosis

    No treatment is required in the vast majority of cases. The treatment of choice for symptomatic accessory axillary breast tissue is surgical excision as removal of the tissue will relieve physical discomfort or mechanical discomfort in the case of large volume accessory tissue.

    Accessory breast tissue should also be monitored for pathologic changes such as malignancy, fibroadenoma, mastitis and fibrocystic changes and therefore undergo the same screening as normal breast tissue. The ectopic breast tissue has been found to have a higher propensity to develop malignancy and occurs at an earlier age. Excessive breast growth (macromastia) can be seen in pregnancy as well as during adolescence."

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  • Lou10
    Lou10 Member Posts: 332
    edited July 2016

    This contradicts the radiopaedia article regarding higher propensity for malignancy:

    "Prognosis

    Most isolated supernumerary nipples persist without complication. Ectopic breast tissue can be associated with the same inflammatory and neoplastic conditions that affect normal breast tissue. Ectopic breast tissue does not have an increased malignant potential compared with normal breast tissue."

    http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1117825-over...


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  • Loveroflife
    Loveroflife Member Posts: 5,563
    edited July 2016

    Thanks for sharing the articles, Lou.

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  • Lou10
    Lou10 Member Posts: 332
    edited July 2016

    You're welcome. I should research it properly one of these days. Still can't believe it wasn't on my radar at all!

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  • tangandchris
    tangandchris Member Posts: 1,855
    edited July 2016

    Yes thanks for sharing.....frustrating how the information is contradictory though.

    I know what you mean, I'm still not sure how or why I didn't mention it to begin with to BS. I suppose I assumed she realized that is what was there, being she's the expert right? lol Now I know better than to assume anything with this stuff.

    If you see anything else please let us know!

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  • Mellie361
    Mellie361 Member Posts: 15
    edited July 2016

    Gosh I'm so glad that I stumbled upon this thread by chance tonight. I also have a supernumary breast under my left breast (in which the IDC/DCIS was found) and have been getting it checked when I had mammograms & ultrasounds. I will have the left breast removed in Nov (maybe the right too depending on genetic test results) after my chemos finished and meet my surgeon and plastic Surgeon very soon to discuss. I think ill ask her to remove it too as its a worry..

    So glad to know im not alone with this!!! xxxxx

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  • Aysha92
    Aysha92 Member Posts: 1
    edited March 2018

    hi, I came across to your post and was wondering if you have any update? I have an extra breast under my arm that has a nipple and lactates.. other armpit I have to nipples with no tissue. I'm planning to remove them after I'm done breastfeeding. I literally can't sleep the night thinking about this and possibly having cancer because of it :(

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