hard lump

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Lynnlynn2
Lynnlynn2 Member Posts: 5
edited July 2017 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

i had breast cancer three years ago. about three months ago i noticed a hard lump in my upper chest, it is not painful but lately it has me a little worried because it has not left. i had radiation on that side but not that high up. has anyone ever had this problem

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  • vlnrph
    vlnrph Member Posts: 1,632
    edited June 2017

    I have not had this problem but, given the 3 month persistence, it would be good for you to call for an appointment to have things checked. Are you getting mammograms regularly

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  • Lynnlynn2
    Lynnlynn2 Member Posts: 5
    edited June 2017

    yes i have regular mamo ,but my next one is not until oct and i dont know if i should wait. I had a ultrasound and mamo a coupol of months ago on the other breast because i felt a lump they just said i had lumpy breast. do radiation leave scaring in a area that has not been radiated the lump is above were i had radiation. thank you for your reply.

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited June 2017

    lynn - I answered on one of your other threads that I thought you should see your dermatologist based on what you said there. If you're worried, you should call your breast surgeon, or MO or RO & describe your symptoms. They will advise you what to do next.

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  • Lovinggrouches
    Lovinggrouches Member Posts: 530
    edited June 2017

    I am a little past one year after rads and have a hard lump halfway between my breast and clavicle that showed up last week. MO said it's on chest wall, not breast tissue and movable, therefore it isn't anything to worry about. Have appointment with RO next month and will have him check it out. Meanwhile, I'll be checking it daily

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited June 2017

    Loving - be gentle with your 'checking'. And maybe only check once a week. You could easily irritate the area or even cause inflammation.

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  • Lynnlynn2
    Lynnlynn2 Member Posts: 5
    edited July 2017

    haveing a mamo and ultrasound on friday now on top of haveing the lump in my chest i have noticed that my arm is swollen half way down my arm that comes and go.also my armpit is swollen on the breast cancer side. it will be three years this october i do not want to go threw this agin. i just dont have a good feeling about this. feel like i also have some nodes in my neck that is swollen. my cancer was HER pos tumor was 9 cm will keep you all up to date thanks.

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited July 2017

    lynnlynn, sorry you are in this scary situation, please keep us posted.

    Lovingrouches, I had a recurrent tumor in my chest wall, outside of breast area. It is rare, but does happen. My docs were 99% sure it was benign. They were 100% wrong. Ask RO to do some imaging to double check. Hoping it is benign. Whatever it is, you deserve to know.

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  • Constable
    Constable Member Posts: 23
    edited July 2017

    Hi Lynnlynn! I am glad you are getting it checked out. My mom has a lump in the center of her chest. She noticed it 3 years ago and it grew. She thought it was a keloid scar from when she had her double mastectomy many years ago. She had a yearly checkup with dermatologist and the she told her that it needed to get checked out. It wasn't benign. On the bright side, the oncologist is optimistic that it will shrink after her treatment. My mom let me feel it. It was hard and about the size of a tennis ball cut in half and glued to her sternum. It didn't have clean margins. It felt evil.

    I pray you get goodnews. You are doing the right thing and staying on top of this. Good luck! (Hugs)

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  • Lovinggrouches
    Lovinggrouches Member Posts: 530
    edited July 2017

    kbee, what kind of imaging did you have? Should ultrasound first

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited July 2017

    I have had a few recurrent lumps. Sometimes they use ultrasounds, but usually they use MRI with contrast. Both have pros and cons and neither is perfect.

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  • Lovinggrouches
    Lovinggrouches Member Posts: 530
    edited July 2017

    Well, went to pcp today and told him about multiple swollen lymph nodes. He didn't even seem interested in checking me. He told me to follow up with RO at the end of the month and see what he says. If they are still swollen or bigger in a month, ill need additional imaging. He will send me to breast surgeon. 3 weeks wait to see RO, if he orders nothing, wait on pcp to give referral, wait on surgeon for appointment, wait on any test ordered, wait again for any results. I decided today that I can't continue to live with this level of anxiety. Screw it!! Ill just have to live with it and quit letting this crud overwhelm me!! Nobody can give me a straight answer as to whether or not swollen lymph nodes are normal after rads. Thanks for the info kbee!

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