recurring problem with scar pberge3947

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crselby
crselby Member Posts: 441 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Kind Ladies,
This person has a question but posted to the end of someone else's thread, so I am putting her issue into a new topic.
>>>pberge3947
Posts: 1
Joined: Dec 2009
December 17, 2009 - 12:42am
Scar Tissue
new
Hello Sylva,
I'm new to this site and wanted to share my experience. I had Breast Cancer 12 years ago and have been cancer free since Thank God. I have had my share of scares. In July of 2008 I was helping to lift my mother and pulled a muscle in my chest (pectoral muscle). Went to my doctor and he did an MRI to see if I tore the muscle, but found a mass under my arm where I had the cancer. I had 9 nodes removed but only 1 was infected. No mastectomy. Chemo and Radiation. Well, he sent me for a Pet scan and it was hot where they saw the mass under my arm, so they removed it. It was benign scar tissue. Then March 2009 I was having pain again so they did another pet scan and the mass came back under my arm twice the size and it was hot. My doctors felt it was the same scar tissue because this type grows back, but to be safe my doctor removed it, and again it was scar tissue, both time benign. He said this type of scar tissue has large benign cells that always show up on a pet scan. Well, I went back last week because my arm (I have lympedema) was more swollen than usual so they did a doppler to make sure I didn't have blood clot, and behold, no blood clot, but another mass bigger than the second one that was removed. Another Pet Scan last week showed it was hot again and larger. My oncology doctor says he does not think it's cancer, he thinks its the same scar tissue but I have to see my surgeon next week. He said this is an aggresive scar tissue that grows back fast and bigger each time they do surgery, but they haven't been able to get it all because it's attached to the main artery in my arm. He said as aggresive as it is, if it was cancer, it would be showing up in other parts of my body, which it isn't Thank God. All three times it's only shown hot in the same place. I just hope they can figure out how to stop it from growing. I'm hoping my doc is right and it's just scar tissue again. Of course I won't feel great until they take it out again and biopsy it, but I can't keep going for surgery every 8 months. Has anyone else out there ever heard of this happening?
Thank you for listening,
Anne <<<<
~~Connie~~

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  • Noel
    Noel Member Posts: 3,095 Member
    #2
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    Hi Anne
    No, I have never heard of this. I am so sorry and feel so bad that you have to go thru all of this. Would you consider seeing another onocologist or plastic surgeon for a 2nd opinion? I think I might just to make sure that everything is being done that should be. Sending you prayers and hoping that this gets resolved for you.

    ♥ Noel
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #3
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    Noel said:

    Hi Anne
    No, I have never heard of this. I am so sorry and feel so bad that you have to go thru all of this. Would you consider seeing another onocologist or plastic surgeon for a 2nd opinion? I think I might just to make sure that everything is being done that should be. Sending you prayers and hoping that this gets resolved for you.

    ♥ Noel

    maybe there is some kind of
    maybe there is some kind of laser surgery or something an interventional radiologist could do. I know they do that for vascular things that keep growing.
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #4
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    I haven't heard of this. Can
    I haven't heard of this. Can you find a doctor who has dealt with this before? That's the only thing I can think of. I know your doctor said it's not cancer but could it be Inflammatory Breast Cancer? I believe it's 'hot' and aggressive.
  • Lynda53
    Lynda53 Member Posts: 210
    #5
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    Marcia527 said:

    I haven't heard of this. Can
    I haven't heard of this. Can you find a doctor who has dealt with this before? That's the only thing I can think of. I know your doctor said it's not cancer but could it be Inflammatory Breast Cancer? I believe it's 'hot' and aggressive.

    IBC is in the breast red hot and tests as cancer
    That is goings om/ It is very aggressive, very fast and tests pos
  • shortscake
    shortscake Member Posts: 228
    #6
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    wow
    I have never heard of this but i do think i would be going for an 2nd opinion its better to be safe then sorry, hope you get the answers you are looking for, please let us know what they say.
  • Endurance
    Endurance Member Posts: 2
    #7
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    Scar Tissue
    I am sorry to hear of your pain and discomfort.
    I am new to surgery and very concerned about scar tissue. I am 8 weeks post op from bilateral mastectomy. I had radiation in March and April for DCIS lumpectomy last October and a new cancer was found in the same area this past August, there for the mastectomy with reconstruction started. My radiated side is healing very slowly and the doctors tell me that scar tissue has to finish forming. I have been greatly uncomfortable and have limited abilities. I am very interested in learning what you find out, I hope to prevent further scar tissue forming. Please continue to post your findings.
  • pberge3947
    pberge3947 Member Posts: 2
    #8
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    Endurance said:

    Scar Tissue
    I am sorry to hear of your pain and discomfort.
    I am new to surgery and very concerned about scar tissue. I am 8 weeks post op from bilateral mastectomy. I had radiation in March and April for DCIS lumpectomy last October and a new cancer was found in the same area this past August, there for the mastectomy with reconstruction started. My radiated side is healing very slowly and the doctors tell me that scar tissue has to finish forming. I have been greatly uncomfortable and have limited abilities. I am very interested in learning what you find out, I hope to prevent further scar tissue forming. Please continue to post your findings.

    Thank everyone for your kind words.
    I saw my surgeon and he spoke with my oncology doctor and two radiologists. The radiologists both feel it's cancer, but both my surgeon and oncology doctor said they don't think it is because the first mass glowed on the Pet scan in July 2008. They removed it but could not get it all because it is attached to my sub-claven artery and said that it could grow back. the pathology report showed benign scar tissue. 8 months later it was back again twice the size. Again they removed it and again the pathology report was benign scar tissue. My doctor said this type of scar tissue has large benign cells that always glow on a pet scan, and each time they remove it and leave a bigger hole, more grows back bigger. My oncology doctor said that as fast as this grows, if it was cancer it would have spread to other parts of my body, but I'm clean everywhere else. It just keeps growing back under my arm and under my pectoral muscle, and it's hard so it hurts. I am going to see the surgeon on Wednesday to schedule the surgery. (3rd) one! Because it's bigger now than the 2nd time, it will have more room to grow, so we are going to dicuss what I can do to help prevent it from growing back. He suggested massage thearpy to break it up and maybe steroid shots and vitamin e. i just hope and pray they are right and it's just scar tissue again. I'm scared, but what my doctor said makes sense. If it was cancer, it would have spread by now. I won't feel good until it's out and I get the results from pathology. As far as Inflammatory Breast Cancer, my doctors said I don't have that. It would have showed up on the Pet Scan and the 3D MRI I just had. Plus I don't have the symptoms. I have a little pinkish rash right now, but I get that from time to time, and have for years, but no symptoms thank God. I will be getting the surgery in a week or two. I will let you know what happens. Please pray for me. I am praying for all of you.
    Blessings,
    Anne

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