Local recurrence to skin or mets

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Ggloves6
Ggloves6 Member Posts: 7
edited July 2021 in Not Diagnosed With a Recurrence or Metastases but Concerned

Hello everyone !

I am 6 months out of mastectomy w no reconstruction. Starting around 8-9 weeks post op I had a spot show up on my scar that turned red . I ask the doctor what this could be. They thought it was a blister because it was on the dog ear flap of skin to be used for reconstruction. Every few weeks I would ask them and they would tell me to try different things. Aquafor etc. Well last week they finally had me come in. Took one look at it and I had a biopsy same day. Next day I got the news. IDC.

My original diagnosis was IDC 6cm ER/PR - Her 2 + no lymph node involvement . I had no treatment other than surgery ,

My question is would this likely be left from the original site ? Or skin met ? They called it recurrence . I’m having a Pet Scan Tomorrow to rule out Mets anywhere else .

To say I’m nervous would be an understatement and could use some prayers right now for a good report .

Thanks

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  • 2019whatayear
    2019whatayear Member Posts: 767
    edited June 2021

    I hope your Pet scan is completely unremarkable.

    did the biopsy have the same profile this time as last? if it is all the same I would assume that is why they call it a recurrence. Your primary cancer was Her2 positive did you have any treatment for the HER2?

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  • buttonsmachine
    buttonsmachine Member Posts: 930
    edited June 2021

    Ggloves, I'm sorry this is happening to you. I hope your PET scan is clear.

    I had a very similar situation, and in my case the local recurrences were cancer cells that had been dragged into my skin by prior biopsies and surgery. The problem is that once breast cancer is in the skin, it can spread through the skin quickly, which of course is very dangerous.

    Not every doctor and cancer center is equipped to deal with this problem well. If you are not already at an NCI designated cancer hospital, I would start by trying to get an appointment with one now. https://www.cancer.gov/research/infrastructure/cancer-centers/find

    If your PET scan is clear, which is what we hope, then it's kind of like going through early stage treatment again, but with a twist: surgery/chemo/radiation - although not necessarily in that order! That's why you should get a second opinion as soon as possible.

    ((Gentle hugs)), and please keep us posted. The waiting for the PET scan results is sometimes the hardest part.

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  • Anx789
    Anx789 Member Posts: 168
    edited June 2021

    hi there, how does a local recurrence to skin look like? I have this rash on my cancer breast 7 weeks ago, it looks like a bruise but it’s not a bruise, not raised, no blisters, not inflamed. I remember scratching it so hard and the next day it became brownish red, then brownish but 7 weeks later it’s still there and seems growing. My doctor said, it’s not fungus or bacterial but she doesn’t know so she’ll refer me to derma.

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  • LivinLife
    LivinLife Member Posts: 1,332
    edited June 2021

    I'm glad you're getting a referral. I've generally seen people refer to recurrence as frozen pea feeling on scar line, collar bone or in armpit area. Skin mets is obviously different than that. I've seen pictures though they really can vary in what it looks like. I'm glad you're being referred to derm. Hopefully it's just a derm issue though if not derm will know and refer you from there. Hopefully you can been seen before long! Please let us know what you find out....

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  • buttonsmachine
    buttonsmachine Member Posts: 930
    edited June 2021

    Anx, skin mets can look different, depending.

    Sometimes skin mets start out as just a red spot - almost like a tiny zit or something, but it never heals or goes away. On the other hand, sometimes skin mets might be closer to your normal skin coloring, but they are just a little shiny, or different looking somehow, than your normal skin. There can also be a "thickening" where there is just a small lump or bump in the skin that doesn't go away. Mine was almost like there was a small dried lentil lodged under my skin.

    I think a key thing is that skin mets persist over weeks, and they do not get better - they stay the same or even get slowly worse.

    It's very easy to determine if something is skin mets with a simple punch biopsy - it's a very mild procedure to go through. So if you are concerned, it's definitely worth asking for a small biopsy, in my opinion. Best wishes to you!

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  • Anx789
    Anx789 Member Posts: 168
    edited June 2021

    It was never irritated, it looks like a bruise, with some red edges, it gotten lighter in color but seems growing and spreadin. I am waiting for my derma appointment, I’ll keep you guys updated. Thank you for the input.

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited July 2021

    Hoping your PET scan is clear. Either way, do make sure that you get multiple opinions. I found that treatment recommendations vary greatly with recurrences. I would think they'd want some systemic treatment this time around as well as radiation to kill any other localized cancer cells hiding there, but that's a decision for you and your doctors to make as a team. Best wishes, and hoping the PET is clear.

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  • Anx789
    Anx789 Member Posts: 168
    edited July 2021

    Update on skin rash on my cancer breast - they did a biopsy and turned out to be an allergic reaction to a medicine. The only med I can think of is Anastrozole and the J&J vaccine.

    I also have another brown dry skin patches like around my armpit. I show this brown patches to my derma during biopsy but he did not pay attention to it and only did biopsy of the rash on my breast.
    When biopsy came out negative, I have forgotten about the rash around my armpit until today, I noticed itgot bigger and multiplying…

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