Anyone have lump turn out to be scar tissue or fat necrosis?

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kdholt
kdholt Member Posts: 229
edited February 2018 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

Hi everyone. I hope someone here can give me some encouraging news right about now. I had a mammo and ultrasound done today for a lump I found in scar area of my breast. The Dr. was not able to feel anything from her examine. I can definitely feel something-not sure what though- when I flex the muscle, otherwise I can't feel anything either. Anyway, today I had the mammo and us and now I need to have a biopsy. The us tech asked me if I had a clip? in my breast from my former surgery. I have no idea if I do or not. Anyway, she said that is probably a good possibility and that scar tissue can form around that. This whole diagnoses is complicated by the fact that I have not had a mammo in 4 years(Dr.retired, fear took over) so there are no recent films to compare this too. Mammo report states that there are spiculated areas and microcalcifications. Dr. said I am a murky case. Anyway, has anyone had this happen to them several years after surgery(it's been 7 years) and it NOT be a return of cancer. I have read that fat necrosis can mimic breast cancer and can occur in the breast tissue up to ten years after surgery. What about scar tissue? Can that also mimic breast cancer. Share your good news please!!!

Debbie

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  • kdholt
    kdholt Member Posts: 229
    edited November 2015

    I am really anxious and would appreciate any words of advice someone is able to offer. My mind is going all kinds of dark places right now!

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  • proudtospin
    proudtospin Member Posts: 5,972
    edited November 2015

    well what I can relate is that on one of my mamos, they found something that turned out to be fat necrosis, it should up and was considered suspicious so we had to do a biopsy. All cool but yeah, it likely could have been around the clips that my BS left, I did have 3 lumpies

    it is one of those things that have to be checked

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  • kdholt
    kdholt Member Posts: 229
    edited November 2015

    anyone else?

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  • bevin
    bevin Member Posts: 1,902
    edited November 2015

    hi I have never had this happen but am stopping in to give support. what are the doctors next steps?

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  • finallyoverit
    finallyoverit Member Posts: 382
    edited November 2015
    Yes, it happened to me 2 years after diagnosis. I, along with all of my docs, felt a lump near my surgical site. They all agreed it was scar tissue so I didn't worry about it. Enter the radiologist who read my 2 year post diagnosis mammogram. He told me it "looked different" than my mammo the year before so he ordered a biopsy. Turned out to be scar tissue/fat necrosis. They put a clip in so they know that they they have already biopsied it and its just scar tissue for future mammos. It's hard but hang in there. Wishing you all the best.
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  • kdholt
    kdholt Member Posts: 229
    edited November 2015

    Thank you for the reply! It is so hard not to worry! Its like cancer is happening all over again. Can you diagnose fat necrosis without a biopsy? On some of the boards I've read, people seem to know its a fat necrosis just from mammo or us. That was not the case for me. Unfortunately, I am headed for a biopsy in the near future. I am very anxious. Would love to hear from anyone else that has experienced this. Lump is peasized maybe. It doesn't hurt. It is about an inch above my scar. Cancer was at 12 oclock and this is at1 oclock. Thanks!

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  • finallyoverit
    finallyoverit Member Posts: 382
    edited November 2015
    I totally understand the anxious feelings, I had them too. I've found that radiologists are very cautious people especially with ladies like us who have been through treatment before. My radiologist said me, "let's prove that it's scar tissue". I was anxious but understood where he was coming from. They can make an educated guess by what they see on the screen, but the only way to have proof is to do a biopsy. My lump is about a half inch and is right along my surgery scar (I had a lumpectomy). Most days I forget it's there until I lay on it just right.. ouchie!
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  • kdholt
    kdholt Member Posts: 229
    edited November 2015

    I think part of what I'm struggling with is I let myself fall through the cracks. My drs retired or moved away and I was never followed by anyone. Now its like I'm starting all over! I have no current films for them to compare it to so they don't know what they are really looking at. I am doctoring in a whole new town with different doctors. I was told my case was murky. Can a fat necrosis or scar tissue present like breast cancer do you know? Can it feel like a pea? I was never told by anyone one way or the other what they thought it might be. I hope that isn't a bad sign. Thank you for your replies. They do help calm me down.

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  • Tomboy
    Tomboy Member Posts: 3,945
    edited November 2015

    Right now, I have a pretty sizable lump of fat necrosis right under the scar near the chest wall. They haven't wanted to biopsy it, because it just hasn't changed that much on all the imaging they have done on it. To me, it always feels like it's getting bigger and bigger, and that it is rock hard and it doesn't move. Just like the first lump I found myself, because, like you, I had stopped doing mammo's, because, unlike you, all my lumps kept being was everything else BUT cancer. Until it WAS cancer. but since treatment, I really don't understand what it is I am feeling in them anymore.

    I really let myself fall through the cracks I didn't have mamma's too.

    Like you said, the only reason they want the closer look (biopsy) is that they don't have previous imaging of what your breast should look like. I think there is an element of covering their butts (and also yours), that's all.

    For me, if they really think it MIGHT be fat necrosis, next mammo day, I am going to insist once and for all, that we find out if it really IS fat necrosis.

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  • Wonderfulmom
    Wonderfulmom Member Posts: 38
    edited January 2018

    Hi. What was the outcome of your situation? I am going through this right now

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

    I have a hard lump at the top of my non-cancer DIEP breast, and it's pretty big--maybe 2 inches by 1 inch. It's right where my PS tried to do a fat grafting to fill out the projection of that side. Some of the fat "took" but some just into a lump, and it's just there. My PS would remove it if I wanted him to, but I don't care about it; we know it's not cancer and frankly, the lump fills things out a bit on that side.

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  • nbarkach
    nbarkach Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2018

    I have a small, hard, fixed lump about half the size of a pea on my right breast. I had a double mammogram in dec 2016 and recon in may 2017. It’s being surgically removed on Tuesday and sent to pathology. Praying it’s a cyst. That’s what they think it is so far

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

    Hoping it is benign. Keep us oosted

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  • Kamsgram
    Kamsgram Member Posts: 3
    edited February 2018



    Had fat necrosis in L breast a week before thanksgiving. I’m 12 yrs post lumpectomy/radiation. 2 months later the cellulitis and drainage is finally gone. Docs say it was due to radiated tissue. I had a lumpectomy 6 yrs ago for micro calcifications. The L breast was so painful after the surgery I stopped getting mmgrms. So the cellulitis was my punishment for not getting check ups. I moved, so finding a dr that long after wasn’t a priority until this popped up. I’m beginning to think it’s time to just do a L mastectomy and reconstruction. Tired of the surprises that show up every few years. After the drainage and 3 lumpectomies later I don’t have much breast left. Just wondering if anyone else has continuing problems this long after the original treatment? They seem to think the necrosis may come back but it’s a big ???
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  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited February 2018

    Yes almost 5 years after my DIEP surgery I had my MRI, at a brand new facility, and it lite up a spot where my original cancer was. I talked to my MO and he said get a biopsy right away he felt that it shouldn't have been fat necrosis after a 5 years period. But that's what it was, the mammogram confirmed it. I had the biopsy probably didn't need it. They left the marker there.

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  • wallycat
    wallycat Member Posts: 3,227
    edited February 2018

    I had a small mass about 1/2" from my mastectomy scar about a year after BMX. I didn't even want a biopsy, i said take it out. I was awake and watching them do it. It was b-9. Just a fat necrosis thingie. Best to you!


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  • mustlovepoodles
    mustlovepoodles Member Posts: 2,825
    edited February 2018

    I had a BMX two years ago, no reconstruction. About 4 months ago I found a lump in the non-cancer side. I just about pooed my pants! Fortunately, my BS was able to do ultrasound right in her office. Turned out to just be a small lump of fat. Whew!

    Best of luck to you. I hope it's nothing.

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  • Lkscolo
    Lkscolo Member Posts: 44
    edited February 2018

    @nbarkach- did you get your results? I had a biopsy and MRI last week for a small lump in my double mastectomy left breast. Waiting to get results too. Just wondering what you found out.....

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