Lost tumor

MsMurphy
MsMurphy Member Posts: 39
edited October 2020 in Surgery - Before, During, and After

I recently underwent a bilateral mastectomy with tissue expanders after an IDC tumor was found in my left breast. During my post-op follow up with the surgeon, she said that the pathology report was delayed due to them being unable to find the clip placed during the biopsy. She has scheduled me for a mammogram and ultrasound next week to see if somehow they were missed and then another follow up with her after.

My plastic surgeon did give me the completed pathology report so I wouldn't have to wait until I see the surgeon again. There was no tumor found, only mention of some DCIS. I'm curious if anyone else has experienced this or had a mammogram with TE. My PS thinks the TE will obscure the clip, if it is still in me or that the MRI I had prior to surgery may have also caused it to move. As I'm still experiencing a lot of pain and discomfort from the expanders, I'm worried it will hurt like hell.

Needless to say, I'm going through a huge range of emotions over this on top of the normal ones anyone going through breast cancer treatment would have.

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  • LivinLife
    LivinLife Member Posts: 1,332
    edited October 2020

    I have not been through that. I also have not heard of that before and cannot imagine! I just want to send support....

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  • WC3
    WC3 Member Posts: 1,540
    edited October 2020

    Hi MsMurphy:

    I recall this happening to another member but I can't recall who or find the post. Let's hope the clip just fell out somewhere and they find it.

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  • MsMurphy
    MsMurphy Member Posts: 39
    edited October 2020

    Good news...kinda...for anyone who might be curious. I had a mammo/ultrasound today and the tumor was found. Because it is so close to my chest wall, it was missed during the mastectomy. The bad news is that I will have to have another surgery to actually remove it. I am feeling much relieved to have answers but not happy to have yet another medical bill. At least I'll have a proper pathology report to finalize the rest of my treatment plan.


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  • Beaverntx
    Beaverntx Member Posts: 3,183
    edited October 2020

    MsMurphy, sorry you need a second surgery but what a relief to have full information.

    After my surgery I was told they spent some extra time searching for the marker clip. It was not in the tissue sent to the lab, etc and was finally located stuck to the side of the suction bucket. Yours may have been lost in a similar manner.

    Sending hugs for successful surgery and healing.

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  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
    edited October 2020

    MsMurphy, well yes, it’s good they found it. But how terrible that you have to have more surgery because the doctors did not do their job right. Did they not review your imaging before they went in? As for another bill — excuse me? No, this is a mistake they need to fix at no charge to you. Are you stuck with this surgeon?

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  • buttonsmachine
    buttonsmachine Member Posts: 930
    edited October 2020

    MsMurphy, I am not trying to scare you, but this can potentially be a serious problem and I am concerned for you. This kind of surgical mistake can potentially stir up the cancer cells, and make them land other places, locally or distantly.

    I do know of another lady who had something similar happen. Her surgeons cut through the tumor and somehow didn't remove all of it during a lumpectomy. My original surgeon made the same mistake on me during a mastectomy when I had a local recurrence. It actually spread the cancer around rather than removing it. My cancer had the added problem of being very aggressive and fast growing, which made everything worse, but the original surgeon still made a bad mistake.

    I would recommend that you go get a second opinion before proceeding. Find an NCI hospital or a research/university hospital. Some hospitals (like Johns Hopkins I think) can even give a second opinion online after reviewing your medical records. Try to see a medical oncologist AND a surgeon, and possibly a radiation oncologist too.

    I'm sorry you're in this situation. I hope you find someone who can rectify the situation. Best wishes to you.

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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited October 2020

    I too recommend a second opinion, but I don't agree that surgery necessarily spreads the disease.

    I had a BMX with large clear/clean margins - no pieces left - tons of imaging to prove that. Two years later I had a local recurrence in a lymph mode under my collar bone. Four doctors at a major medical center were all astounded, since everyone confrmed it was clear. Turned out it was IDC instead of the DCIS that I originally had. The docs all said it was likely a 'micromet' that escaped even before the first surgery.

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  • MelissaDallas
    MelissaDallas Member Posts: 7,268
    edited October 2020

    Agree with MinusTwo. People have reexcision for clean margins very frequenntly, so their tumor was “cut into” but the stats don’t bear out that this causes seeding, except in very rare circumstances.

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  • MsMurphy
    MsMurphy Member Posts: 39
    edited October 2020

    Thank you all for your responses and concern. I feel very confident with my surgeon. She has been open and honest about it all and takes full blame. The hospital she is with has a great oncology department and they have meet a couple of times to discuss my case together. She is also working closely with the radiologist who will be going in and marking the area with a wire guide just to be sure she gets it this time. The tumor and clip were still together and against my chest wall and down low on the underside of my breast so when she removed the tissue, she didn't go far enough and deep enough back to catch them.

    Everyone I had worked with prior to surgery had mentioned that it was an uncommon location so I'm lucky that it had been found at all. I had to point it out to my gynecologist when I went to see her after discovering it. More than anything, I just want to get it out and a complete pathology so I can move on with treatment and get back to TE fills. Maybe I'll get lucky and they'll decide chemo isn't necessary and I can skip ahead to the targeted and hormone treatments. 🤞


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  • MinusTwo
    MinusTwo Member Posts: 16,634
    edited October 2020

    RIght on Ms. Murphy - I know the feeling. Just get it out!!! Let us know when the surgery is scheduled.

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  • buttonsmachine
    buttonsmachine Member Posts: 930
    edited October 2020

    Just to clarify: surgery, when done properly and effectively, is an integral part of curative treatment. I am not advocating that anyone not get a biopsy or surgery out of fear of spreading the cancer.

    However, I did have seeding of cancer cells, which led to skin metastasis of my original breast cancer. Yes, this is rare, but these things can happen. My intent is not to scare anyone, and I know that what happened to me is unsettling to many. However, I have witnessed firsthand how thinking that seeding of cancer cells never happens leads to delays in care, so situations like MsMurphy's make me concerned.

    However, the statistics are on your side, MsMurphy, and I hope that you will not have any further problems. I am truly wishing you the best!

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  • buttonsmachine
    buttonsmachine Member Posts: 930
    edited October 2020

    For anyone who is interested, this study was done by MD Anderson a few years ago. In my opinion, the subject of needle or surgical seeding of breast cancer needs more study and examination.

    See: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10549-017-4401-7

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