breast swollen and warm - onset 3 months after radiation?

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daisydaisy
daisydaisy Member Posts: 24
edited December 2016 in Radiation Therapy - Before, During, and After

Dear ladies! Hoping to hear from anyone with similar issues. My mom finished radiation on September 5 for stage IIA ER+/PR+ HER2- ductal cancer. Her skin got tanned and then peeled, and very soon she developed a bad case of radiation pneumonitis treated with steroids for more than 2 months (because you can't drop the steroid at once, it needs very slow tapering). Once off the steroids she complained of minor pains in the radiated breast, it looks bigger than the other breast, swollen, warmer to touch and pinkish. The skin around the nipple may get hard and then resolves with time. Going for ultrasound and surgeon visit on Monday. Until that time I am so impatient and frustrated. How can it happen - no skin or breast changes right after and such a delayed onset? Can it be really related to radiation? Or is it breast lymphedema? I am concerned that it developed 3 months after radiation, not during and right after.

I would really appreciate any advice or experience you can share.

Thank you!

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited December 2016

    As my rad onc said, the process continues after treatment ends and it's cumulative. I got radiation pneumonitis over 6 months after finishing rads. My steroids treatment was a short 2 week protocol. Very high dose immediately and then a quick weaning. My chest area is still warm and my rads were in March.

    Always good to have it checked out though. Mastitis is another concern.

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  • daisydaisy
    daisydaisy Member Posts: 24
    edited December 2016

    Thank you barbe1958! I hope you are feeling better - radiation pneumonitis is not easy ( in my mother's case it manifested with fever first and only slight cough with nothing evident on CT, so she was simply put on steroids, because nothing else, like antibiotics, etc seemed to help. And then in two weeks she was told to drop them and to continue testing. And after the drop (without weaning) the pneumonitis got really bad. It happens sometimes, if it was not treated properly for the first time, and steroids are cut abruptly. This time she was put on pills with very slow weaning, and developed many side effects, even moon face.

    Thank you once again, I come here for comfort and always get support and advice - this is so precious!

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited December 2016

    The 2 week protocol is so that you don't get moon face and other side effects. With 2 weeks I still had some trouble breathing and then one day it was all okay.

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited December 2016

    Daisy - my RO told me that rads is the gift that keeps on giving - and giving - and giving. Even 2 years down the road, if i don't continue to stretch the muscles will pull in.

    Below is a link that will give you some info about lymphadema. My LE was possibly caused by rads bu in any case, the RO was the only doc to recognize it and get me to a professional therapist.

    http://www.stepup-speakout.org/


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  • daisydaisy
    daisydaisy Member Posts: 24
    edited December 2016

    Just an update - if anyone reads the thread with the same problem (though I hope nobody ever has any problems, but...). So we had an appointment with our surgen and an ultrasound of the breast. Well, it's all the effect of radiation. The skin hardened, there is some swelling in tissues, etc. The recommendation was to apply lotions (Biafine is stronly recommended, I've heard about it, especially during radiation, but I need to order it from abroad, as they don't sell it in Russia where we live), besides, a cabbage leaf may be used (funny, but that's a kind of Russian alternative treatment for swelling, so the surgeon approved it). Gentle massage may be applied with upward movements. Actually, a physiotherapist was also recommended, to show massage techniques and for other possible treatments, but we were unable to get an appointment, as mom travels 500 km to see her surgeon, and it is difficult to find such specialists in her hometown.

    I just want to encourage anyone experiencing any issues after treatment to ask for help, to try to see your doctors ASAP and try not to be scared (that's the most difficult part). Unfortunately, treatment itself has a tremendous impact on the body, and SEs seem to pop up here and there quite unexpectedly.

    Good luck to everyone!

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