recurrence near/on incision?

lizzie17

Has anyone had a recurrence on the mastectomy incision or nearby or in the chest wall?
If so, how did you find out? Did you have symptoms?

Thanks!!

CypressCynthia

My younger sister did. She
My younger sister did. She was Stage 1 IDC initially.

Five years after bilateral mastectomies (family hx), she felt a lump and then on MRI there were about 5 suspicious spots. She had surgery again and 3 of the spots turned out to be cancerous. Apparently, there was a little breast tissue left that was growing the same cancer that she was initially diagnosed with. She has now been about 5-6 yrs and no more problems thus far--on arimidex since the recurrence.

iowasignterp

yes, unfortunately
I had my mastectomy done in 2005, reconstruction done in 2006. This year in 2010, a larger lump came back on the incision site. I actually thought it was something to do with my implant. My family dr also thought it was something to do with my implant as well and was not as worried but referred me into my plastic surgeon. Didn't get in right away and finally decided to check in with my oncologist. She jumped on it quickly and followed up with tests. Every time people asked if I had regular mammograms, I did but on the OTHER side! Made plans for chemo, radiation, and lumpectomy until we had a PET scan and found that it had also spread into my hip bones. Now I am considered incurable but chronic since it is only in my bones. Surgery is now out of the question. On Xeloda chemo pills as well as Herceptin and Zometa (bone strengthener). Meds are shrinking my breast tumor but won't know the full results until my next PET scan. If you have something that is questionable on your incision, follow up right away with your oncologist.

Sorry for the bad news and hope that you will have better news! Good luck!

Megan M

iowasignterp said:

yes, unfortunately
I had my mastectomy done in 2005, reconstruction done in 2006. This year in 2010, a larger lump came back on the incision site. I actually thought it was something to do with my implant. My family dr also thought it was something to do with my implant as well and was not as worried but referred me into my plastic surgeon. Didn't get in right away and finally decided to check in with my oncologist. She jumped on it quickly and followed up with tests. Every time people asked if I had regular mammograms, I did but on the OTHER side! Made plans for chemo, radiation, and lumpectomy until we had a PET scan and found that it had also spread into my hip bones. Now I am considered incurable but chronic since it is only in my bones. Surgery is now out of the question. On Xeloda chemo pills as well as Herceptin and Zometa (bone strengthener). Meds are shrinking my breast tumor but won't know the full results until my next PET scan. If you have something that is questionable on your incision, follow up right away with your oncologist.

Sorry for the bad news and hope that you will have better news! Good luck!

Did anyone have radiation
Did anyone have radiation and then have a recurrence at the tumor site? I wonder if rads would have prevented it?

carkris

Megan M said:

Did anyone have radiation
Did anyone have radiation and then have a recurrence at the tumor site? I wonder if rads would have prevented it?

I had BC the first time in
I had BC the first time in 1994, then had a local recurrence in 1995. found out on my wedding anniversary. I found a sesame seed like growth right above the incision. the docs though it might be a suture but it was the same cancer as well. Then I had radiation. and was clear after that. I am currrently dealing with a BC that came in my other breast.

lizzie17

iowasignterp said:

yes, unfortunately
I had my mastectomy done in 2005, reconstruction done in 2006. This year in 2010, a larger lump came back on the incision site. I actually thought it was something to do with my implant. My family dr also thought it was something to do with my implant as well and was not as worried but referred me into my plastic surgeon. Didn't get in right away and finally decided to check in with my oncologist. She jumped on it quickly and followed up with tests. Every time people asked if I had regular mammograms, I did but on the OTHER side! Made plans for chemo, radiation, and lumpectomy until we had a PET scan and found that it had also spread into my hip bones. Now I am considered incurable but chronic since it is only in my bones. Surgery is now out of the question. On Xeloda chemo pills as well as Herceptin and Zometa (bone strengthener). Meds are shrinking my breast tumor but won't know the full results until my next PET scan. If you have something that is questionable on your incision, follow up right away with your oncologist.

Sorry for the bad news and hope that you will have better news! Good luck!

thank you
I am so sorry about your situation, but thank you for sharing it with me.
I do see my primary care this Thursday, so I definitely will mention it.

Praying for you.

linpsu

My reoccurence came back in Feb. 2010; original dx was Feb. 2008. It came back right over my mastectomy scar and was a general hardness over the scar area rather than any kind of lump. But that's how it presented itself the first time too. Luckily I found it right before my 6-month oncologist check-up and I had assumed it was just scar tissue, but it wasn't. This time it was stage 3C; first time it was just DCIS and I had the mastectomy but no radiation or chemo. So this time I had the full course of treatments - another mastectomy to remove implant plus a lot more tissue plus 14 lymph nodes (1 positive), chemo, and radiation. I am triple negative, so have nothing to take to prevent it from returning again. Of course I think that more aggressive treatment the first time might have prevented the reoccurence. But who knows? You can't go back to have a do-over.
Linda

lynn1950

Within a year of my
Within a year of my mastectomy, I felt little nodules along my incision site. They were removed by my surgeon and they turned out to be benign...scar tissue from the surgery. Not all little lumps are the cancer returning! xoxoxo Lynn

Different Ballgame

Yes On the Scar
I had 0 Stage DCIS in the right breast, Was extremely aggressive and had a contralateral mastectomy (both breasts). 2-3/4 years later a tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny growth (like a baby, baby, baby pimple) appeared on my incision scar. I thought it was an irritation to the stitches. I looked at it daily via a 7x magnification mirror and touched it for approximately 4-6 months never dreaming that it was a recurrence. When I saw my plastic surgeon for my annual physical, I showed it to him and asked him what it was. He also thought it was an irritation to the stitches until I told him that I thought it was growing (not by sight, but by feel). Then he became suspicious. even though it did not look like cancer. He removed it and had it biopsied. It ended up being invasive cancer.

Do not hesitate if you have a growth on the scar. See your doctor immediately. .

Hugs,
Janelle

Different Ballgame

Yes On the Scar
I had 0 Stage DCIS in the right breast, Was extremely aggressive and had a contralateral mastectomy (both breasts). 2-3/4 years later a tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny growth (like a baby, baby, baby pimple) appeared on my incision scar. I thought it was an irritation to the stitches. I looked at it daily via a 7x magnification mirror and touched it for approximately 4-6 months never dreaming that it was a recurrence. When I saw my plastic surgeon for my annual physical, I showed it to him and asked him what it was. He also thought it was an irritation to the stitches until I told him that I thought it was growing (not by sight, but by feel). Then he became suspicious. even though it did not look like cancer. He removed it and had it biopsied. It ended up being invasive cancer.

Do not hesitate if you have a growth on the scar. See your doctor immediately. .

The first time - no radiation - no chemo - no hormone replacement.
Recurrence -31 days of radiation - Arimidex

Hugs,
Janelle

CypressCynthia

Megan M said:

Did anyone have radiation
Did anyone have radiation and then have a recurrence at the tumor site? I wonder if rads would have prevented it?

My younger sister did NOT
My younger sister did NOT have rads the first time. Not at all sure why? She did have it after the recurrence. Good point.

CypressCynthia

lynn1950 said:

Within a year of my
Within a year of my mastectomy, I felt little nodules along my incision site. They were removed by my surgeon and they turned out to be benign...scar tissue from the surgery. Not all little lumps are the cancer returning! xoxoxo Lynn

That is so true! My brother
That is so true! My brother had thyroid cancer years ago. About 3-5 yrs after the surgery he lad hard lumps appearing in his neck and was told, if it was the cancer again, that this was very bad. Turned about to be resorbable sutures. His body had encapsulated the sutures so they didn't break down and he had a lump everywhere a suture had been. That was over 30 yrs ago.

MyTurnNow

Megan M said:

Did anyone have radiation
Did anyone have radiation and then have a recurrence at the tumor site? I wonder if rads would have prevented it?

Yes, I did but not at the original tumor site.
My first dx was July 2009 IDC and I had a lumpectomy, chemo and radiation. My recurrence was one year later in July 2010 and it was the same type cancer but in a different location in the same breast. I had a bilateral mastectomy in August 2010. I was taking Arimidex at the time and my onc has switched me to Aromasin and is considering Tamoxifen. She order the test to determine if my body metabolizes it. If so, she wants me to switch. I was the one that discovered both "lumps". Please be vigilent in checking your breasts and report ANYTHING suspicious to your onc.