What is this lump under my scar?

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GreenValleyGirl
GreenValleyGirl Member Posts: 8
edited January 2018 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

Hi All,

This is my first post here and I'm wondering if you can help me out. I had a left mastectomy and implant reconstruction in 2014. Then chemo and Herceptin. I never thought about doing a BSE myself on that side until a few months ago. So I noticed the underlying tissue was kind of stuck to the scar and I decided to massage it and break apart the scar tissue, which I did. Now the skin freely moves over the pec muscle and implant. But then I began to notice a bump or a few bumps under the scar attached to the underlying tissue but not attached to the skin. So I had an US done that was negative, but I still have this lump i just can't leave alone. My MO was not concerned. The weird thing is that it seems to want to hide from me when I go searching for it, but at other times it feels so prominent. Anyone have an idea what is going on?

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  • NotVeryBrave
    NotVeryBrave Member Posts: 1,287
    edited November 2017

    I would see your BS about it. I recently had a work up about a lump under the nipple on the cancer side. It was seen by the sono but couldn't be clearly diagnosed. They ended up doing a mammo and said it's fat necrosis.

    That's probably the most likely situation. My MO wasn't concerned, but the PS was and he wanted me to see the BS earlier than my scheduled 6 month visit.


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  • GreenValleyGirl
    GreenValleyGirl Member Posts: 8
    edited November 2017

    Thank you, NotVeryBrave, for your response. I hadn't thought to go directly to my BS, but that seems like the logical answer! In the meantime, of course I'm wondering what the lump could be. I didn't have a fat transfer so could it still be fat necrosis? What else would cause a lump that doesn't move with the skin?

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

    It could be scar tissue too. Either way, seeing your BS is a good idea. Let us know how it goes

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  • GreenValleyGirl
    GreenValleyGirl Member Posts: 8
    edited November 2017

    Thank you, Karen. I appreciate your input. I'm thinking scar tissue as well. I will update and let you know!

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

    An MRI might be an option to discuss with BS if he/she has concerns.

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  • sandylyn13
    sandylyn13 Member Posts: 14
    edited December 2017

    I haven't posted anything for a long time, but now I am a little scared about some symptoms I have been having for a few months.  I have some rippling in my left breast right in the area of my lumpectomy.  And for days I have had severe internal itching in my breast in the area of the cyst removal.  It's been almost 5 years since I had the surgery.  I also have pain my upper arm and shoulder.  I am scheduled for a mammogram in February 2018, but I am seeing my oncologist on December 28.  In January 2017 she looked at the rippling and said it was nothing to worry about, it was probably just scar tissue.  But it has gotten more lumpy since then.  I am going to ask her to move my mammogram date up to a date in early January 2018 and if she refuses, I will ask her to notate the fact that I requested it on my record.  Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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  • Wonderfulmom
    Wonderfulmom Member Posts: 38
    edited January 2018

    Hi. I am a 7 year survivor of stage 2b Ductal Carcinoma, 4 preventative rounds of chemo, full round of radiation, mastectomy, ovary ablation and diep flap surgery. I am taking Tamoxifen for the new 10 year time period. I went to a new OBGYN appt. today and a nurse midwife gave me a breast exam. She said she felt 2 nodules near my scar tissue on my left breast (the other breast had been removed) and called my oncologist. They are scheduling an ultrasound. I had a mammogram on 6/30/17 that didn’t show anything. I hope it’s just scar tissue. I CAN’T go through this again!

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  • IADeb
    IADeb Member Posts: 8
    edited January 2018

    Hi. Just last night I found a pea-sized lump under my surgical scar, also not attached to the skin but seemingly attached to the underlying tissue. I didn't sleep all night and came here to see what I could learn from others while waiting for my MO's office to open this morning. But should I be calling my BS instead? Or both? I didn't have reconstruction and it doesn't seem like scar tissue since it isn't attached to the skin. I am freaking out about the thought of having to go through all of this again.

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  • muska
    muska Member Posts: 1,195
    edited January 2018

    Small bumps felt on the implants, are often scar tissue. Breast surgeons see a lot of them and can usually distinguish by the feel. If your breast surgeon is not concerned I wouldn't worry.

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited January 2018

    Sorry so many of you are dealing with lumps. Please see your oncologist and/or breast surgeon andcrequedt imaging. I was told that my pea sized lump was scar tissue. They were 99% sure. They were 99% wrong. Thankfully I advocated for myself. Most likely you are dealing with scar tissue..... hopefully you are dealing with scar tissue...but you need to know

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  • sbelizabeth
    sbelizabeth Member Posts: 2,889
    edited January 2018

    Good advice, KBee. What was it that made you insist on a biopsy? Gut feeling?

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited January 2018

    It was my gut feeling. I'd had other lumps that worried me, but my gut said they were ok. My gut said this was cancer and it felt EXACTLY like my cancer from 2 years prior.

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