Knee lump

HopeHeal
HopeHeal Member Posts: 204
edited April 2021 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

Just dx March 1 but have been having slight left knee pain for at least a month especially when bending, with a now noticeable soft and mushy lump on the outside of the left knee.

Not dx with bc stage yet as I am meeting with an oncologist at the end of March to do chemo first, but I am terrified it might be mets to the knee. If so I would be stage IV which would be further worse news on a trend of diagnoses just getting badder and badder. Nurse and other patients have said it's not likely, that bc has to go through stages such as the lymph nodes first around the chest, but I also read the cells could travel via blood vessels. I'm triple neg, grade 3 and already 3 cm so it's understandable aggressive cells would travel fast. End of March for a scan seems so far away in the face of these shocking discoveries with so little time to process, and all because I missed my mammograms.

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 12,424
    edited March 2021

    hopeheal,

    Yes, it's true that bc cells can travel through the blood as well as through the lymphatic system. It is also true that bone mets can, in theory, occur on any bone location in the body. But, it is less likely to occur in some areas such as the knee cap. Also bone mets are not likely to present as lumps but rather with pain to the area.

    I know you are anxious and that's normal but you are catastrophizing i.e. leaping to the worst possible scenario. I can't promise you that the issue with your knee is not cancer, but I think you're creating unneeded worry for yourself. The waiting does seem endless but that should comfort you as your medical providers don't view your situation as an emergency (breast cancer rarely is!). The end of March is almost here. Take care.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • LivinLife
    LivinLife Member Posts: 1,332
    edited March 2021

    HopeHeal I have all kinds of knee issues - I have since I was a pre-teen. I had this contained squishy area on the upper part of my calf for a time several years ago. Turned about it was overflow from a Bakers cyst - common with knees, esp. bad knees. Yours certainly could be a different kind of knee issue depending on location. I agree with exbmxgrl that it likely is not cancer though I too wouldn't guarantee you it is not... Please let us know when you find something out....

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • HopeHeal
    HopeHeal Member Posts: 204
    edited March 2021

    Thank you both for your comforting responses. I took another look at it today & the lump seems to be going down so may its bursitis. I'm still going to show it to the onco. I am anxious, working myself up into scenarios (probably not good for tumor control), but consoling to hear breast cancer is not an ER.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • DutchieGirl
    DutchieGirl Member Posts: 103
    edited April 2021

    I’ve never heard of bc metastasizing to the knee (or any joint). Both of my knees are sore but I also struggle with bursitis. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I’m going to get aging issues because ...ahem...I’m aging! A friend of mine who has bc had a very sore elbow. Her onco told her that, if it was cancer, she was going to write a book about her because that would be her first case of cancer metastasizing to a joint. Keep in mind that we will still get ailments and they will be totally unrelated to cancer.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • HopeHeal
    HopeHeal Member Posts: 204
    edited April 2021

    Just to update you all, my MO ordered a CT on the knee and it looked clean except for a cyst, which, I think the steroids included in my chemo took care of as an added bonus. I am no longer experiencing any knee pain.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • 2019whatayear
    2019whatayear Member Posts: 767
    edited April 2021

    Wonderful news HopeHeal!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • LivinLife
    LivinLife Member Posts: 1,332
    edited April 2021

    Great HopeHeal! Thanks for letting us know!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories