Lumps 7+ months after MX...

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GreenEyes81
GreenEyes81 Member Posts: 389
edited May 2018 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

I'm hoping this is the right thread...if not feel free to point me in another direction. I have seen people talk about scar tissue near mx incisions as well as other type of occurrence after a mx....but what about 2 inches or so away from the inssion? Can you have scar tissue away from the actual inssion? I can feel an oblong firmer area that is movable that is like a half moon shape. I don't remember it being there before...but to be honest I just now am getting to were I want to "feel" the mx area to check. I did notice the area has got puffier over the last month or so. I just joked I was growing the clevage back. But now it seems firmer not just soft. If it is scar tissue I thought it would show up sooner...not 7+ months after surgery.

Can scar tissue show up this late? It is the inner are, what would have made cleavage prior. Do they leave "mamory" type tissue in this area? Like half moon shaped, several inch's long. I had multifocal, 3 small tumors prior, so the more I think about it, the more I wonder if I should get it checked out, it is the area one of the tumors was found.

I stopped even looking for a few months...decided nothing would change if it was now or July (next "check ups"). lol Didn't make it. It's just weird....I never felt the other tumors, but expected small round lumps if I had been able to. Which is actually what I do have on the other side but confirmed fibrodenoma. This does not feel the same at all.

Can I post a picture of the area I am trying to decribe? Thoughts otherwise?


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

    Yes, scar tissue can form that far out. I still get more scar tissue. That being said, get it checked. Do not let them tell you “this is just scar tissue” and send you on your way. I have had biopsies twice which showed scar tissue, and once that was a cancer recurrence. The time of the recurrence, they told me they were 99% sure it was scar tissue. I insisted on a biopsy.

    I say that not to scare you, but so that you advocate for yourself and are not afraid to question the doctors.

    Keep us posted. Lumps are always so scary

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  • Sara536
    Sara536 Member Posts: 7,032
    edited March 2018

    Good advice. Do not hesitate to question doctors. Think ahead about how you want to phrase it because you don’t want to put the doctor on the defensive. If you don’t get a respectful or satisfactory answer, get a second opinion. The first doctor doesn’t necessarily have to know you are doing that. Some insurance companies encourage second opinions because they know that “two heads can be better than one” and may save them money in the long run.

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

    yes; phrasing is important. I always began with, “I respect your opinion and experience, but.....”

    My body likes to make scar tissue, so when Inhave a new lump, it is MRI or ultrasound. Only if it looks suspicious do we biopsy

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  • GreenEyes81
    GreenEyes81 Member Posts: 389
    edited March 2018

    Thanks ladies, Google was not helping me figure out the timeline for scar tissue developing. I definalty don't mind being my own advocate, I refused to see my original sergen without knowing he would request an MRI for me. Narrowed down the list fast. lol

    I just am pulled cause I'm not a 100% it is a "lump" or just firmer breast tissue that was left behind. Who's going to invent the home ultrasound? hahahaha

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  • Trailrunner4
    Trailrunner4 Member Posts: 34
    edited April 2018

    Any update? Was it scar tissue? I think I'm in this boat suddenly, only 4 months out from BX. What I feel are something like hard axillary lymph nodes and my breast surgeon isn't sure what it is. She thinks it is either the lymph nodes we're feeling or scar tissue. She has me waiting 2 weeks to see if the lymph nodes change because I recently had an unrelated surgery and developed an infection afterwards. I am scheduled for an ultrasound to start with after the 2 weeks. I know I won't be satisfied with a "probably nothing to worry about" answer. If they're not 100% certain it is scar tissue, then I will push for a biopsy. I hate needles, but I need to know.

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  • GreenEyes81
    GreenEyes81 Member Posts: 389
    edited April 2018

    I haven't got it check out yet actually. I got new insurance that kicked in last Thursday. My MO reviewed pictures and felt I was good to wait until insurance kicked in the follow up my surgeon. Funny thing is I canceled my regular f/u 2 weeks prior to all of this! lol

    I do think it is growing though....and is tender. So who knows...will be getting in with the surgeon in a couple of weeks. There is a lot of firmer stuff...but seems like like one specific spot that is different than the rest. I will try to remember to keep ya updated.


    Trailrunner4 I ran in all worried in December...was nothing. lol Was glad but also frustrated. This time...going to wait. I would rather go in and be able to say yep its changing or not. I have to drive 8 hours one way....don't want a "come back in 2 weeks" if I don't have to. For the first time I did feel some swollen nodes a week ago...but they went away. I noticed I didn't feel so great at the same time so thinking I may have had a minor infection. But the lump in the middle of my chest...don't think there are nodes there.

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  • GreenEyes81
    GreenEyes81 Member Posts: 389
    edited April 2018

    Life has changed and I just can't make a trip 8 hours away right now and don't want to put things off. Called my local GP this morning at 8am....saw him at 10:30. He got me in for an ultrasound tomorrow afternoon with an appointment with a local breast surgen to review the resutls an hour later.

    Soooo trying not to panic. I was pretty much fine till now. Thankful and at the same time hate how you mention "lump" and the red carpet is rolled out faster than you can blink. Was expecting an appointment next week....

    Put together lump in the same place as previous malignant biopsy and swollen area in my armpit....I just don't know. If they decide they do want to biopsy I am not sure I want it done local. It is not a large hospital and thus not a large amount of expirence doing breast biopsis to my understanding. I don't want a false negitive and then no one will touch it because the lump was already biopsied. Any thoughts/feedback ont his?

    Maybe they will decide it looks fine and I can wait until July when I will be seeing my regular doctors. Here we go again...

    Good thoughts, prayers...anything would be appreciated.

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  • NotVeryBrave
    NotVeryBrave Member Posts: 1,287
    edited April 2018

    I'm sorry that you are having to go through this stress. It seems like we can never just be done. Cancer is always in the picture.

    I've had an area under my nipple on the cancer side that at first looked and felt like a small, pea-sized lump. My BS sent me for US and they ended up doing mammo as well. The radiologist seemed pretty confident that it was an area of fat necrosis. That made sense to me since my chemo was very effective and that nipple was pretty messed up after the surgery.

    So - fast forward a couple more months and the area seems bigger and sort of flatter, filling out more space. I don't see the BS, but she orders follow up imaging. Again - they believe it's the same and tell me that it really hasn't changed. It has changed. I'm sure of that. But maybe that's what's supposed to happen with resolving fat necrosis?

    The problem is that doing a biopsy could cause further damage - adding to the problem. As well as risks with the implant there. And so I wait and hope for the best. I have to believe that they would want to biopsy if there was cause. I'll see my BS next month and get her opinion.


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  • GreenEyes81
    GreenEyes81 Member Posts: 389
    edited April 2018

    And biopsy it is...Monday morning. Results by Tuesday night most likely.

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  • NotVeryBrave
    NotVeryBrave Member Posts: 1,287
    edited April 2018

    Ugh. At least you should have an answer. A good one, I hope!


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

    I am glad you have a biosyvto give you a definitive answer. Hoping it is benign.

    Not very brave, go with your gut. If you think it has changed, request MRI or biopsy. It is too risky if they are wring

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  • Trailrunner4
    Trailrunner4 Member Posts: 34
    edited April 2018

    Hoping for the best for you. I know this is nerve wracking.

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  • GreenEyes81
    GreenEyes81 Member Posts: 389
    edited April 2018

    hi...it is really nice to know someone is checking in. ;) just got the call....IDC. So here we go again. Just going to laugh....it’s better than crying.

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  • Lula73
    Lula73 Member Posts: 1,824
    edited April 2018

    oh GreenEyes81, I am so sorry. We are here for you. (((Hugs)))

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  • Pi-Xi
    Pi-Xi Member Posts: 348
    edited April 2018

    You took the words right out of my mouth, Lula.

    GreenEyes, I am so very sorry that this is happening to you.

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  • NotVeryBrave
    NotVeryBrave Member Posts: 1,287
    edited April 2018

    Oh, no! I'm so sorry and shocked!

    I hate this ride ...


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  • Cpeachymom
    Cpeachymom Member Posts: 518
    edited April 2018

    GreenEyes81- It’s okay to cry too. You were about a month behind me, and I didn’t really cry the first time around, but I’m not so sure how well I’d hold up again. When I saw you already have a recurrence, my heart dropped. Good that you caught it, good that the doc took you seriously and it was discovered sooner rather than later. But DAMN! The constant worry and vigilance...f**king cancer. So sorry that you’ve got to deal with this again.

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

    Greeneyes, I am so sorry that you have to deal with IDC again. I understand. I absolutely do. Feel free to vent here anytime. Hoping you have a plan in place soon. Once I had a plan in place, I felt better about moving forward, but until that time, it's like spinning your wheels in place, not getting anywhere but into a deeper rut.

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  • buttonsmachine
    buttonsmachine Member Posts: 930
    edited April 2018

    Green eyes, big big hugs to you. I'm going through treatment for my 2nd local/regional recurrence now, so I get it. I'm sure your mind is whirling with all this.

    After my disease got worse I transferred to a major NCI designated cancer hospital. My treatment is so much better now - my local doctors just couldn't deal with this adequately. Not sure of your situation, but I only bring it up because I really needed and benefited from the extra special care. I wish I had gone sooner.

    We are all supporting you here!

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  • Cpeachymom
    Cpeachymom Member Posts: 518
    edited April 2018

    In the spirit of laughing instead of crying, I borrowed this from the warm and fuzzy thread- hope you’re doing okimage

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  • GreenEyes81
    GreenEyes81 Member Posts: 389
    edited April 2018

    OH I LOVE IT! Yes i cry...then I move on till the next moment. If I'm going to leave this world...I want to do it laughing. I want my kids to see JOY through hardship.

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  • BellasMomToo
    BellasMomToo Member Posts: 305
    edited April 2018

    GreenEyes: So sorry to hear the news. It's something we all fear. May I ask what treatment you received for your original dx?

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  • GreenEyes81
    GreenEyes81 Member Posts: 389
    edited April 2018

    Thanks Bella. I had a uni mx on my right side. I turned down Tomaxifan, however due to other health issues/surgeries I would have only been able to start taking it mid January. I found the lump mid February...so no regrets. lol

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  • hopedreams
    hopedreams Member Posts: 85
    edited April 2018

    SO SORRY GREEN EYES.. WOW U GOT THERE TOO DAM FAST.. GOOD LUCK.. I AM JUST A LADY IN WAITING TONITE.. BUT I ADVOCATE VERY WELL FOR MYSELF.. BEEN THERE DONE THAT MANY TIMES.. I AM FORTUNATE THAT I GO TO A HUGE CANCER CENTER IN NEW YORK CITY. ~HOPE

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  • GreenEyes81
    GreenEyes81 Member Posts: 389
    edited April 2018

    I had an chest wall MRI Wednesday night, met with surgen yesterday. They saw two area's of concern on the "out side" but my sergen can't see/feel anything. Getting an ultrasound this morning to try to see what the MRI saw. Anyone gone through this? I have nothing there! lol No breast, just ribs. So I'm wondering how it can be on the "outside" and is it really a rib? Can an ultrasound sound see stuff in ribs?

    Busy day! Ultrasound, RO and then Pet CT---first one of those and I am STARVING already. lol Surgery scheduled for Wednesday peinding nothing is "found" else were.

    Sigh....sometimes I just want to tell everyone I made it up and lied. Just go back to a normal life....ignorance is bliss.

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  • GreenEyes81
    GreenEyes81 Member Posts: 389
    edited April 2018

    Oh...not sure I understand this but my sergen dosnt think it is a "normal" recurrance. What is normal!?!?!?! lol Thinks it is just a new spot that was too small to see/deal with last time or seeding from a biopsy. I had multifocal, 3 lumps last time. So maybe this is #4. Recommending rads as there could be 5, 6, 7 as he put it. Not a surprise there.

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  • Cpeachymom
    Cpeachymom Member Posts: 518
    edited April 2018

    uggh, sounds confusing for sure! Glad they’re looking into things, getting all the info they need. I would have thought the MRI would be better than US at picking things up. Rads should help if there’s leftovers. Will keep you in my thoughts, especially Wednesday

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  • NotVeryBrave
    NotVeryBrave Member Posts: 1,287
    edited April 2018

    Wow - sounds confusing. I guess it's better if it was something that was there before and just not seen or addressed? Did you have rads before?

    What is the surgery on Wednesday?


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  • GreenEyes81
    GreenEyes81 Member Posts: 389
    edited April 2018

    no rads last time or chemo. Just surgery. Surgery Wednesday is to remove the new mass as long as mets is not found...to my understanding.


    Happy I am able to have a different ultrasound tech! In January the lady argued with me saying it wasn’t possible to have cancer after a mx. Lmao

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  • NotVeryBrave
    NotVeryBrave Member Posts: 1,287
    edited April 2018

    Yep - the uneducated in healthcare positions. Always worth a laugh if you're not crying!


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