In hopes of educating Pink Sisters

laughs_a_lot

Have you had radiation treatment? If so read on. I am hoping to alleviate some worry.

I had a lumpectomy in May of 2011, did chemo, and had 33 radiation treatments which ended just before Thanksgiving. I had a second biopsy of suspicious cells that turned out to be just scar tissue in Jan 2012. I had been to the chemo doctor about 2 weeks prior to today with a breast exam that came out ok.

Our local TV station reminds woment to self breast exams on the 13th of every month. So I did this. I found a thickness in my breast tissue about 1 1/2 inches from the incision for the lumpectomy. By the way the incision area feels like there is a leather belt below the scar and the Chemo doctor told me it was supposed to feel that way. What he did not tell me was what led me back to the surgeon for another breast exam due to the thickness I found 6 days ago in the lumpectomy breast.

Apparently for some women radiation can lead to a firmer feel to the breast that has been radiated. When the surgeon finished the exam he stated that the thickness I felt was due to radiation making the tissues in that area of the breast thicker. I wish that the chemo oncologist would have told me this. I did not feel the thickening breast tissue in several other of my exams so perhaps it also was not there when he did the exam.

This is not to say that you should not go to one of your onocological team members when you find a thickening of breast tissue. It is meant to allow you to know that there are reasons other than cancer that would cause a thickening of breast tissue that does not necessarily include the whole breast. By all means see your doctor. Just don't sit on pins and needles while waitng for your appointment. There can be logical reasons for a thickening of the breast after cancer. Keep doing your breast exams even if you think you don't know what you are looking for, because if something feels different than last month then call your doctor. Your lack of confidence in performing self breast exams is not in indicator that you don't know what you are doing. Practice makes perfect (or at least better educated).

LoveBabyJesus

Thank you!
Yes, this is useful information and can make some ladies feel more at peace. Especially those who always worry about every little thing (like myself?).

Different Ballgame

My breast started changing 1 year after radiation
My reconstructed breast began changing 1 year after radiation. It is now 2 years from radiation and the radiated breast has continued to "cook". My skin is fine. I have been told that is inside my breast is scar tissue as a result of the radiation. Radiation oncologist told me to massage the breast daily in the hopes of breaking down some of the scar tissue.

Lots of Hugs,
Janelle