lumpectomy scar tissue

laurissa
laurissa Member Posts: 773
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi everyone. I'm nearing the end of treatment with 7 boosters of rad to go. I'm more itchy than burned. Recently I've developed a hard mass under my scar big as an egg. I know its normal to get lumpy under the scar, but its still unnerving. Its like a rock. Will this go away or is it a permanent thing? It doesn't hurt, I just hate feeling it.

Comments

  • EveningStar2
    EveningStar2 Member Posts: 491 Member
    scar
    The short answer is: it's normal. I had a lumpectomy in January 2009 followed by 33 rads. I burned badly. Now I have a brown boob that is mostly soft--I had a lump for a long time. Even with my first post treatment mammo in August they told me I was still healing. With my second mammo in March they told me they wanted to watch the scar and return in 6 months. Duh! I'm doing 6 month mammos anyway!

    But it will soften and go away. You probably want to have your onc take a look to make sure.

    Maureen
  • roseann4
    roseann4 Member Posts: 992 Member
    Me too!
    I'm over a year out. I've become used to the thick area under the scar. Doesn't feel round just not like the rest of my breast. When I went for my follow-up and 6 month mammo, they put some tape over the scar so they could tell where the scar tissue is so they don't confuse it with another type of issue. They warned me about it before my surgery.

    Roseann
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    No, I never had any lumps
    No, I never had any lumps from my lumpectomy Laurissa. Has your rads oncologist and oncologist seen this? I can understand your hating to feel it. I would to. Let us know what they say and if there is something that can be done to make it go away. Good luck!


    Hugs, Diane
  • creampuff91344
    creampuff91344 Member Posts: 988
    DianeBC said:

    No, I never had any lumps
    No, I never had any lumps from my lumpectomy Laurissa. Has your rads oncologist and oncologist seen this? I can understand your hating to feel it. I would to. Let us know what they say and if there is something that can be done to make it go away. Good luck!


    Hugs, Diane

    I read most posts regarding
    I read most posts regarding scar tissue under the area where lumpectomies have been done, and it seems like everyone has a complaint about bumps, lumps, etc. I have an area directly under the lumpectomy scar that is thick and long, but my onc says that it is normal. Also, I asked him how long I should expect the area to be tender and sore, and he says, "Sometimes that never goes away.". Now that's a kick in the pants. You would think it would be like any other scar tissue, and eventually not hurt, but everyone is different. I'm one of the lucky ones that still experience soreness in the area two years after surgery. Keep your onc informed about the lump, and hopefully the area will eventually go away. My thoughts are with you. Hugs, Judy
  • aisling8
    aisling8 Member Posts: 1,627 Member

    I read most posts regarding
    I read most posts regarding scar tissue under the area where lumpectomies have been done, and it seems like everyone has a complaint about bumps, lumps, etc. I have an area directly under the lumpectomy scar that is thick and long, but my onc says that it is normal. Also, I asked him how long I should expect the area to be tender and sore, and he says, "Sometimes that never goes away.". Now that's a kick in the pants. You would think it would be like any other scar tissue, and eventually not hurt, but everyone is different. I'm one of the lucky ones that still experience soreness in the area two years after surgery. Keep your onc informed about the lump, and hopefully the area will eventually go away. My thoughts are with you. Hugs, Judy

    sorta
    And by that I mean, I have a lump under my arm where the sentinel node biopsy was, but then I also had a seroma/hematoma there for a while. There's a portion of the lumpectomy scar that feels weird, just flat and hard, but feels more like it's on top than under the skin. Had an appointment with my GP the other day and he said under the arm felt normal.

    Victoria
  • cats_toy
    cats_toy Member Posts: 1,462 Member
    I also had a lump
    it was not directly under the incision, so it did disturb me. I went in for a mammo, MRI and sonagram. All of them said not cancer, but "suspicious". They all believed it was radiated scar tissue under the skin, but that is when I finally decided on reconstruction. They would remove all the radiated skin and the lumpy tissue so that I would not have that worry always hanging over my head. Now those surgeries have moved me on to other complications, but I am still glad the lump is gone. It was always in my mind when it was there.
    Good luck with your healing, and hopefully yours will finally recede on its own.
    Cat
  • outdoorgirl
    outdoorgirl Member Posts: 1,565
    I am about
    2 years outside of treatment and I have some lumps way under my incision that no one really says anything about while I am being examined. It is unnerving-you don't want to be paranoid,but at the same time you don't want to let it go either if it is something!I never know what to do about it..
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member

    I am about
    2 years outside of treatment and I have some lumps way under my incision that no one really says anything about while I am being examined. It is unnerving-you don't want to be paranoid,but at the same time you don't want to let it go either if it is something!I never know what to do about it..

    You are about done with rads
    You are about done with rads Laurissa! I don't have any lumps, but, I have a very small incision from my lumpectomy. Ask your PS or oncologist if there is something they can do about it. Maybe they can help you. It would bother me too. Good luck!
  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
    Laurissa, this never
    Laurissa, this never happened to me. I can imagine how unnerving it must be. I would check w/your surgeon.
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    Eil4186 said:

    Laurissa, this never
    Laurissa, this never happened to me. I can imagine how unnerving it must be. I would check w/your surgeon.

    I didn't have this happen
    I didn't have this happen either. It would bother me too Laurissa. I would ask your PS too if it will go away or if there is something he can do.
  • crselby
    crselby Member Posts: 441
    fat?
    Your radiologist should be able to do some tests (ultrasound?) to ease your mind. When I noticed a hard lump under the scar, I waited until my 6 month post-treatment appointment with my surgeon to bring it up. She ultrasounded it and tried to show me (ultrasound pictures make no sense to me). I have more than the average sized seroma (fluid) in my larger-than-normal cavity (that she created; in fact, I 'sloshed' for weeks after the surgery, until radiation started) and there is something floating around in it. Yep, my hard lump actually moves around from day to day. She thinks it is a lump of fat. In fact, she started laughing when she saw it. I guess I'd rather have it be fat than something else. Probably a result of the way my brachytherapy (internal) radiation is healing.

    Just letting you know what bizarre possiblities there are for a post-lumpectomy lump!
    ~~Connie~~
  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    crselby said:

    fat?
    Your radiologist should be able to do some tests (ultrasound?) to ease your mind. When I noticed a hard lump under the scar, I waited until my 6 month post-treatment appointment with my surgeon to bring it up. She ultrasounded it and tried to show me (ultrasound pictures make no sense to me). I have more than the average sized seroma (fluid) in my larger-than-normal cavity (that she created; in fact, I 'sloshed' for weeks after the surgery, until radiation started) and there is something floating around in it. Yep, my hard lump actually moves around from day to day. She thinks it is a lump of fat. In fact, she started laughing when she saw it. I guess I'd rather have it be fat than something else. Probably a result of the way my brachytherapy (internal) radiation is healing.

    Just letting you know what bizarre possiblities there are for a post-lumpectomy lump!
    ~~Connie~~

    This never happened to me
    This never happened to me either. I would for sure ask your PS and even your rads oncologist since you are still being zapped. It could just be temporary Laurissa.

    Sue :)